Just Anna
by Mammps
Summary: Annabeth Winona Kirk, First tactical officer onboard the USS Truman. Bondmate and wife to Spock. Older sister to James. T. Kirk. When Nero attacks Vulcan can Annabeth keep her dysfunctional family from killing each other while they attempt to save Earth? Spock/oc
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE**** 13th September 2249**

"James! James! You promised you'd see me off." Young eighteen year old Annabeth Kirk yelled up the stairs of their small house in Iowa. Her tone was annoyed, and her usually smiling face was spilled into a frown. Her blue eyes sad. Her long blond hair was tied up in a ponytail underneath her new cadet red hat. She was also dressed in her cadet reds. Her carryon bag, with a few sets of clothes in, was sat by her feet at the bottom of the stairs. She had to leave any moment and she had yet to say goodbye to her younger brother. She was only bothered about saying goodbye to him. He was the only one in this town that she cared about. Not Frank, her step-father or Dominic, the resident bully. No, only James.

She was finally fed up of waiting. She stormed up the stairs and straight into her brothers bedroom. He was lay there, fast asleep. She frowned. She wanted to say goodbye but she had always hated waking him up. She sighed and approached his bed. She sat down on the edge and nudged his shoulder. He stirred but didn't wake. She nudged him again and this time he did wake up. His tired eyes opened slowly and glanced over at her.

"I have to go soon James." she said softly. As much as she wanted to get angry with him for not waking up on his own to come and see her off, she had no idea how long it will be until she returns home and she didn't want to part ways on bad terms. She knew James didn't want her to leave. She knew that James hated the idea of her being part of Starfleet. He hated everything to do with Starfleet. To him it was responsible to taking away both their dad and their mom and now it was taking his sister.

"Do you really have to go?" James asked, looking up at her from where he was lying. He hadn't slept well that night. Knowing that this morning he would have to say goodbye to his sister and only true friend in Iowa.

"If you want to stay in a house away from Frank, I have to be able to afford it. And to be able to afford it I need a job." Anna told him softly.

James nodded. "I understand that but why not just get a job here, at home."

"Because I want to give you and my future children the best life possible and I can't on a shop owners wage or a waitress' wage. But with a Starfleet wage I can." Anna told him.

"You promised you would never leave me like Mom and Dad did" James said, his eyes sad.

"James, Dad didn't mean to leave us. He just did what he thought was right. And I'm not leaving you like Mom left us. I'll comm you however often you want me to. Everyday, if that's what you want. Just know that I'm not leaving you, I'm just trying to get an education that will get me a well paid job that can support us." Anna told him, reaching out to stroke his hair down.

Usually James would never allow his sister to stoke his hair down. He was sixteen after all but even he knew that she was doing the right thing, even if he didn't like it, and so he would never be able to come up with an argument good enough to convince her to stay. And besides he knew it had always been a secret dream of hers to be on board a Starfleet ship. He knew she had always wanted to follow Dad's footsteps and go into Starfleet. Who was he to stop that? He knew that if it was the other way around she would be encouraging him to do what he wanted to do.

"Okay. Just don't break your promise." James finally relented.

"I won't. I'll comm you tonight. We'll talk then. I have to go. Love you James." Anna said, standing. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to James' forehead. She could tell already that he was about to go back to sleep. He looked like he could fall asleep any minutes.

"Bye Anna" James said, already half asleep.

"Goodbye James. I'll miss you. Try not to get into too much trouble." Anna replied, finally slipping out of James room.

She made her way downstairs, collected her bag and walked straight out of the front door. She knew if she didn't walk straight out she never would. Her mind was whirling into several different directions. Should she go? Was she being selfish by going to Starfleet and leaving James here with Uncle Frank? She knew the reason she had just gave James was only part the reason why she was going.

Her mind was whizzing through determination to go and regret for leaving as she walked the long way to where the shuttle would be leaving. It was still dark out. She had to leave several hours in advance so she could get to the shuttle on time.

By the time she arrived at the shuttle the sun was rising. Other cadets were already milling around, approaching the doors to the shuttle.

She took a deep breath and looked back towards where she had come from. This was it. Her last chance to back out. She thought of James. How much trouble would he get in while she's gone? What would he think if she backed out? Would he be happy or disappointed and guilty? Her mind turned to her Dad. Would he be disappointed if she backed out? Yes... No... Maybe.

"Having second thoughts?" a voice startled her. She quickly turned to look at who the voice belong to.

A commander by the looks of his uniform. _Must be who they sent to babysit us on the way_, Anna thought to herself. He had brown hair that was greying at his roots. His eyes sparkled with some sort of amusement.

She stood for a moment observing him before realising he had asked her a question. "Um no, sir. Just worried about my brother."

"Younger?" he asked.

She nodded. "He's sixteen. He doesn't really like the idea of me leaving." She told him honestly.

"Well, I suppose you'll just have to prove to him that you leaving is a good thing. Achieve at the academy and he'll realise that is where you were supposed to be." the man kindly said.

"Oh, he knows this is where I am meant to be. I think he's just scared of loosing me. Our Dad died on a Starfleet ship and our Mom practically abandoned us to go off planet every opportunity that she got." Anna told him, unsure about why she was opening up to him so much. He just had the sort of vibe that made her trust him and want to tell him.

"I see." He commented shortly. Obviously unsure about what to say in response. He suddenly jumped slightly before saying, "My apologies, I never introduced myself. I am Commander Pike."

He offered out his hand. Anna smiled before taking his hand. "Annabeth. Annabeth Kirk. But everybody calls me Anna."

"Kirk? Daughter of George Kirk?" Commander Pike asked.

Anna nodded. "Yes Sir."

"It's pleasure to meet you again Anna. It seems not that long ago when you were running about the Kelvin, and it was me always chasing after you." Commander Pike said with a large smile.

Anna smiled as well. "You were on board the Kelvin?"

"I was assigned the Kelvin in my final year of the Academy for my dissertation. George was a good friend of mine, even during my academy years." Commander Pike said.

"Well then, it's good to meet you Commander Pike." Anna replied with a smile.

"Now, we should get on board. I believe we are almost ready to go and we wouldn't want them to go without us now would we dear?" Commander Pike asked with a smirk on his face.

"No sir" Anna replied back with a smile as they both began to head for the shuttle.

Once on board Anna took a seat amongst the other cadets dressed in red while Commander Pike went up to the cockpit. As soon as he was sat down the pilot turned to the cadets and said, "Prepare for takeoff." The cockpit door closed cutting off the Commanders from the Cadets.

Anna looked around at the other cadets. They were all dressed in the Cadet reds and every single one of them looked smart in them. She noticed that other Cadets were doing the same as her, probably looking for somebody that they recognise. She tried to find somebody she recognised but it looked like she was going to be the only person from her end of Iowa. She sat back, half pleased, half upset. It would have been nice to already know somebody but she didn't really like anyone from back in Iowa so it wasn't necessarily a bad thing that she didn't know anyone already.

It took 3 hours to travel from Iowa to San Francisco in the shuttle and when the shuttle finally docked every single Cadet was a mixture of nerves and relief. Everyone was nervous about the beginning of their Starfleet career but relieved to be finally able to get out of the uncomfortable shuttle seats.

Anna waited until all the other Cadets had gone before leaving her seat herself and exiting the shuttle to follow the Commanders. The two Commanders that were with them, Commander Pike and a female Commander lead the cadets into a hall room. At the front were five tables with Commanders behind them. Above the tables, so everybody could see it, were five signs that had parts of the alphabet. For example the first read " A - D ". The room was already filled with people queuing, obviously from other shuttles that arrived before they did.

"Please queue in the queue based on the first letter in your second name. Here you will receive your personal pad with your room allocation and class schedule." shouted the female Commander.

The group of cadets from Iowa quickly split. Anna joined her queue "K - Q". She waited a good half hour in the queue before she reached the desk.

"Name?" asked the Commander at the desk.

"Kirk. Annabeth Kirk" Anna replied.

The commander searched through the pile of padds before picking one out and handing it over to her.

"Thank you" Anna said before moving away quickly and toward the exit of the room. She opened up her padd and wondered where they kept the room information. She opened up the documents app and instantly found the document named 'Room Allocation'. Because she was focusing on the padd, she therefore wasn't focussing on where she was going so it wasn't surprising when as she exited the door to go outside she ran head first into someone else. She dropped her padd and fell back on her bum. The person who she had bumped into knelt down and picked up her padd before standing back up at the same time she did.

She looked over who she bumped into. He was tall and lean. He was pale with a tint of a green colour to his skin. She knew instantly that he wasn't human, or at least fully human. It wasn't until she saw his face that she recognised what he was. The pointed ears and the slanted eyebrows told her that he was a Vulcan but his eyes looked almost human. Not that Anna had seen many Vulcans to compare his eyes to. For all she knew they could very well be Vulcan eyes.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, aware that while she was studying him, he had also been studying her. "My apologies. I wasn't looking were I was going." She said awkwardly.

"That is quite alright. I was also neglecting simple eye functions" he replied, holding out her Padd for her to take back.

Yep, definitely a Vulcan, she thought to herself as she took her Padd back from him.

"Well... um thanks for picking up my padd... and um I apologise again for running into you" Anna stammered out awkwardly shifted from foot to foot.

"Your apology is unnecessary. You have apologised once. And I do not remember you running." The Vulcan replied, obviously not understanding the phrase 'running into you'.

"Oh. Um. It's a figure of speech that's used instead of 'I collided with you'" Anna explained to him.

"Interesting" was his only reply.

"Well anyway, I'm Annabeth Kirk but call me Anna. It's nice to meet you" Anna said to him, excited about the prospect of a new friend, even if it is with a Vulcan. She didn't however offer out her hand for a handshake because she could remember reading that Vulcan's have a touch telepathy and therefore do not like shaking hands as an introduction.

"I am Spock" The Vulcan, Spock, nodded to her in greeting.

"What's your focus?" Anna asked him curious.

"Computer programming with minors in Phonology and interspecies ethics" Spock replied, well aware that the three subject that he just said were not usually placed together.

Anna also recognised the fact that they were not usually placed together. Phonology and interspecies ethics maybe but not computer programming. Then again she couldn't really talk. It was hard to put her three together as well.

"That's interesting. I'm focussing on survival strategies and tactical analysis, with minors in Combat and xenolinguistics." she replied.

Anna noticed that Spock looked over into the room that she had just left and the fact that he didn't have his own padd yet.

"Oh, you need to get your padd. Sorry to keep you talking. I better let you get your padd. Maybe I'll see you around at some point." Anna said, smiling kindly.

"Indeed." Spock replied.

"See you later Spock" Anna waved as she left, leaving Spock stood by the doors.

It didn't take long for Anna to find her assigned room. MG649. Room 649 in the Mathew Grant building, named after an Admiral that died the year that this building was built. Anna entered the personal code that she had on her padd into the keypad by the door. The door opened. She walked into the dorm room. There were two double beds. Underneath the beds were boxes for storage and beside the beds were bedside tables, one per bed, which had on them an alarm clock and lamp. On the wall opposite each bed was a desk. Anna sighed before claiming the bed furthest away from the door by placing her bag on top. She looked at her padd again to see whether it said anything about her roommate. Nothing. It didn't mention anything about her roommate. She would just have to wait and see.

As she waited nervously she began unpacking her bag. She only had a few spare sets of the Cadet reds, a few pairs of clothes, one set of bed sheets, duvets and pillow cases, her essentials and two photographs. One photo was of her and her Dad, and the other was of her and James that she took two years before when she finished high school two years in advance. She couldn't really fit anything else in her bag. She put her two photos up on to the shelf above her bed and then unpacked her cadet reds into one box under the bed, and her ordinary clothes in the other. Her essentials she put in the single draw that was on the bedside table. She made her bed with her blue duvet cover that James picked out for her. He said it matched her eyes. It was a light blue with a dark blue pattern. The pattern was a flower stem that travelled down the bed and that bursts into flowers near the bottom of the bed.

Her padd beeped and the screen flashed. Anna had a look to see that Commander Pike had messaged her.

**MESSAGE**

**FROM** COMMANDER PIKE, CHRISTOPHER

**TO **CADET KIRK, ANNABETH

_Annabeth_

_I am to be your personal advisor for the next four years while you are a cadet. At the moment it says in your timetable that it is Commander Barnett and you are meet him tomorrow morning at 0900 hours. However this will be updated soon. You will meeting me in my office, tomorrow at 0900 hours._

_Hope you settle in well._

_Commander Pike_

Annabeth smiled and placed her padd down. She definitely liked the idea of having Commander pike as her personal advisor for the next four years. At least she knew him and he knows her.

She was about to flop on her bed and relax when the door chimed and then opened. Annabeth was shocked to see Spock at the door. After all she could have sworn that the academy don't offer co-ed rooms. It's supposed to be girls share with girls and boys share with boys.

"Spock?" Anna questioned, "Have you been assigned to this room?"

"According to my padd, yes. However there must be a mistake in our assignment." Spock replied.

Anna nodded. "Obviously. I'll message Commander Pike. See what he says."

**MESSAGE**

**FROM** CADETKIRK, ANNABETH

**TO** COMMANDER PIKE, CHRISTOPHER

_Hi Commander Pike_

_I've just met my roommate and we both agree there must have been a mistake with the assignment of rooms. My roommate appears to be a male. Who should we speak to to get his resolved?_

_Please reply soon and thanks._

_Annabeth Kirk_

Anna looked up at Spock to find that he had moved to look over her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at how close he was. She could feel the heat coming off his body he was that close. Spock took a step back.

"So while we've got some time to kill, lets talk." Anna said cheerfully,

"I do not believe it is possible to _kill_ time" Spock replied "Time is a figurative element."

"'kill time' is another terran phrase. It means there is a period of time that you need to get through. For example right now I say time to kill because I want the time to go fast till when we receive a reply so we should do something." Anna replied to him. Anna suddenly had a feeling that she would be explaining a lot of her terms and phrases to him over the next four years and she could tell that like this explanation some of them will not be an easy thing to explain.

"I understand. " he replied but said nothing else.

Anna frowned with the lack of conversation. "Okay, um how about we get to know each other? or we could set some ground rules. I mean at the moment we have no idea if Commander Pike will be able to sort out this room issue so we should set some ground rules."

"Ground rules? Explain." Spock demanded.

Anna frowned a bit more at the rudeness of just saying the word explain with no please on the end but explained anyway. "Well when I say ground rules I mean rules that are between us, to do with this room, that we set out and absolutely must follow. For example as we are obviously different genders we will have to work out some sort format for getting changed because I am not getting changed in front of you nor will I attempt to get changed under my duvet. I'm sure you will also be uncomfortable getting changed in front of me."

"I am a Vulcan. I do not get uncomfortable" Spock said firmly.

Anna raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Okay well I'd be uncomfortable with you getting changed in front of me."

"Is it not part of the Terran culture for a male and female to get changed in front of each other? Many of the Terran males on the shuttle I boarded were discussing losing their clothes in front of a woman." Spock commented.

"Spock!" Anna groaned. "No, the only time a woman will lose a part of the clothes in front of a male is if they're in a relationship with them or about to have _sex_ with them."

Anna's face blushed at the topic. She had never had much experience with love and lust but discussing it with Spock was awkward because he was 1) a guy, 2) a Vulcan that supposedly had no emotion and 3) she could not deny that Spock was anything less than good looking. Spock's face showed no reaction, however Anna could see that the tips of his ears appeared slightly more green than they had before. She smiled shyly. So it had affected him in some way.

"Do you understand now why I would be uncomfortable?" Anna asked him.

"Indeed." He replied.

Anna's padd beeped but this time it didn't just beep once but kept beeping. She looked at it and saw that Commander Pike was trying to Comm her. She answered.

"Commander Pike. You have good news I hope" She said with a smile.

His answering frown and sigh deflated her smile. "I'm afraid not Anna. Is your roommate there with you, um Cadet Spock?"

"Yes, he's here. He can hear you." She replied.

"After I received your message I commed the accommodations office. There wasn't a mistake with your room allocation. There was a full intake on cadets this year and an odd number of males and females. You and Cadet Spock where just the male and female that ended up being paired with one another. For now you will have to share a room, however there may be a no show or a drop out and if there is I shall see to it that you are the first to receive notice of a free bed." Commander Pike told her.

"Well, thank you Commander. I'm sure Spock and I will work something out." Anna replied with a small smile.

"Ever the optimist. I shall see you tomorrow for your personal advisors meeting." Commander Pike said smiling at her.

"Okay. Bye Commander." Anna said.

"Good bye Anna" he replied before shutting off the comm.

Anna turned to Spock and said, "Looks like we're stuck together Spock"

"Indeed." Spock replied.

"Do you always reply with one word answers?" Anna asked with a mischievous sparkle in her eye and a teasing tone.

"Unclear"


	2. Chapter 2

******DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**Six years later**

**STARDATE: **17th September 2255

Anna smiled as she breathed in the fresh air of Iowa. It was refreshing to breathe in the fresh air after spending the last three months off planet. She was going to spend her month off with Spock, back at Starfleet but she wanted to pay a visit to James first. She had kept the promise she had made him back when she had first left for Starfleet. She had not left him behind. She commed him every other day, even while she was off planet. She visited him every time she was on a holiday during her academy years and every time she was on shore leave on Earth ever since she was assigned to the USS Truman.

Anna looked over to where the new ship was currently being built. The USS Enterprise. It looked fabulous already. She knew that Commander Pike had already been asked to be Captain and he had already asked her to be his first tactical officer. It was a step down from her current rank on the Truman, but the chance to work on the Enterprise, the Starfleet flagship, was too much to say no to. Besides she had already agreed that her position as first officer on the USS Truman was only until they could find a replacement for her. However that agreement had been made over a year ago now. She was starting to wonder whether they were forgetting to look for a replacement.

Anna started the trek to the house with plenty of time left in the day. She'd arrived with Captain Pike as he came to recruit and pick up the cadets. She knew she would have to be back in time to catch the shuttle back tomorrow morning but she would spend a good few hours tonight and a few hours early tomorrow with James.

When Anna was starting to walk up the drive to the house the front door opened and she could hear James calling from inside. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to come and visit their brother. Fancy going out to the bar tonight?"

Anna sighed. Her brother had gotten worse when it came to trouble since he became old enough to go to the local bars. She would often comm him to find him with new bruises and cuts from fights he'd managed to drunkenly get himself into.

"James. We only have tonight. Do you really want to spend that time at the bar?" Anna asked as she stepped through the front door into the hallway where James had been waiting for her.

"Oh come on Anna, it'll be fun. Besides I doubt your Vulcan friend takes you to a bar." replied James with a cheeky smirk.

"Well no, he doesn't but - " Anna started to protest but James quickly cut in.

"No buts. You're coming with me to the bar."

"And what exactly am I going to do when you find yourself a lady friend to spend the evening with. Stand all on my lonesome in a bar full of rowdy cadets? I don't think so." commented Anna with a snort.

"Cadets? aww, now we've just got to go." commented James with a laugh and mischievous look.

"James Tiberius Kirk, you will go nowhere near any female cadet. Corrupting their innocence" Anna said sternly, well aware where James' mind had gone at the mention of Cadets.

James just snorted "Innocence" before wrapping an arm around his sisters shoulders and pulling her into a awkward side hug. "Okay, no flirting with Cadets. Now can we go to the bar."

Anna sighed but relented, "Fine. But no flirting with Cadets and no fighting either."

"Deal. Just a good night out drinking with my sis." agreed James.

It was only ten minutes into their trip to the bar that James disappeared with a lady friend. Anna sighed, not really expecting any different but was slightly dissapointed. She ordered a drink and downed it. She had already lost her good mood and was now spotting several male Cadets eyeing her up. Oh how she wished she'd worn her Commander uniform. They wouldn't be so forthcoming with their looks had she have done so. But no James had insisted she wore the dress he had bought her for her last birthday.

While she liked the dress, it was very flattering but it was revealing by her standards. She was sure James hadn't meant for it to be so revealing either because he had almost fainted in shock when she had first put it on earlier that evening. It was a sparkling blue sequin dress that was form fitting around the waist but slightly looser around the bust. The dress was armless with a semi-thick strap around to the back of the neck. The dress dropped rather low on the front, revealing slightly more than what she would have wanted but thankfully for her the back of the dress was right up to her neck, connecting with the straps. The dress came down to her mid thigh. It was high but not as high as her work uniform so she felt relatively comfortable with showing that much leg.

"Anna! What a pleasant surprise" a very familiar voice called out to her.

Anna spun and turned to face the smiling Captain Pike.

"Captain. I didn't know you'd be here." Anna replied, smiling back.

"Thought I might keep an eye on the new recruits. I wasn't expecting to see you here. I thought you were spending time with your brother." Captain Pike commented.

"I was. He disappeared a few minutes ago." Anna replied with a slight frown, still slightly annoyed about that fact.

"Oh well, why don't you join us at our table. After all your a Commander now." Captain Pike commented.

Anna just laughed, "Yes and you are about to become my Captain."

Pike chuckled merrily. "Of course."

Pike turned to the bar tender and said, "Fill her up, on me."

"Captain, you're not showing favouritism are you?" Anna gasped mockingly. It was a long running joke between the two from when Captain Pike was her advisor. She always teased him about him playing favourites with her. He would always claim innocence and deny it but both were well aware of the obvious favouritism that he showed her.

"Never in a million years." he laughed taking her now filled up glass and lead her over to his table.

Sat at the table were two other Commanders. The same female Commander that had been on the shuttle when she had first travelled to Starfleet and another one, probably a recruiter.

"Anna this is Commander Tammy Darista and Commander Jeff Fellowell. Tammy, Jeff this is Commander Annabeth Kirk, currently first officer and first tactical officer on the USS Truman and soon to be my tactical officer onboard the USS Enterprise." Captain Pike introduced them.

Anna turned to the two Commanders and offered her hand. "It's nice to meet you"

Both smiled at her. Commander Tammy Darista shook her hand first and then Commander Jeff Fellowell not only took and shook her hand but also placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

"A pleasure" he said in a tone that she recognised as flirty.

She gave him a small smile, one that would hopefully let him know she wasn't interested without her having to say it out loud.

"Hands off Jeff. She's taken." Captain Pike told him. Commander Fellowell let go of her hand, but not without winking at her.

"Robbing the cradle a bit aren't we Chris?" Commander Fellowell laughed merrily.

"Oh Jeff, get your mind out of the gutter. Of course Chris isn't with her." Commented Tammy with a slight huff before turning to Anna and saying "I apologise for Jeff, he's had a bit too much to drink already. Definitely not looking forward to the shuttle ride with him tomorrow morning."

Anna snorted. "Well, let's just hope he doesn't throw up in front of the Cadets. Not quite a very good example."

Tammy and Chris laughed.

"So first officer on the Truman. Under Captain Rodigrez I believe." Commented Jeff, smiling at Anna.

"Yes sir." Anna replied.

"Hey, none of his sir business. We're all on equal standing here. It's Jeff, Tammy and Chris, alright?" Jeff said, rather seriously for how drunk he obviously was.

Anna nodded. "Of course. It was just a habit. After all Cap - um - Chris was my advisor at the Academy so I guess I just still see him as a superior."

Jeff nodded, "So anyway. Captain Rodigrez. What's he like as a Captain? Never liked him that much at the Academy. Was always trying to outshine everyone."

"He's alright. He isn't so great when it comes to tactics but he seems to have good control over his crew. I would say he was a decent Captain." Anna replied truthfully.

"Yes, well not every - " Jeff's response was cut off with a crash from the main area of the bar.

All four of them stood to look at what was going on. All four of them were shocked. Four Cadets were ganging up on a civilian. Anna however was horrified when she recognised that civilian. It was James.

She stepped forward to help James when Captain Pike grabbed her arm. She looked over to him pleadingly. Her brother was lying on a table, getting the life beaten out of him by one big thug in Cadet reds. Pike smiled reassuringly at her before placing two fingers in his mouth and whistling extremely loud.

Everything seemed to stop. Everyone in the bar turned to face the Captain and three Commanders stood at the door. All four of them frowning. Anna slipped her arm out of Captain Pike's hand and move her way over to James. She helped him sit up as Captain Pike called out "Everyone, outside. Now!"

All the Cadets left. Jeff and Tammy leaving with them to keep an eye on them. Captain Pike however came over to Anna and James.

Anna had managed to get James sat up in a chair at the very table he was lying on moments ago. She had handed him two parts of napkin to stuff up his nose to stop it from bleeding. Apart from that there wasn't much else that she could do for him but sit in the chair next to him as he ordered himself a pint of beer.

Captain Pike came and sat opposite them.

"You know I almost couldn't believe who you are" Commented Captain Pike.

"And who am I?" James replied, with a snort.

"Your fathers son." replied Captain Pike. "Anna, will you give us a minute?"

Anna nodded. She stood but not before hugging James and placing a kiss on his forehead. "Behave. I'll meet you outside. We'll head home together."

She headed outside. The outside was as deserted as the inside. The only two people remaining were Jeff and Tammy. Jeff was looking slightly more sober now. Tammy waved her over.

"Is everything okay in there?" she asked.

Anna nodded. "Yeah, he'll be fine."

"You know him? You seemed pretty upset when you saw him lying on that table" asked Jeff casually.

"That's James. My brother" Anna replied with a nod and small smile.

"Wow, a big contrast between you two. A Starfleet Commander and lad getting into a bar fights." commented Jeff, casually with a small smile, letting her know he didn't meant it offensively. He was just making a observant comment.

"Yeah. James has always liked to be a free spirit. Gets into trouble for it, but to be honest I wouldn't change him. He has his faults but he is still one of the kindest men you'll ever meet. He had a heart of gold and as soon as he sees you as a friend he would die for you." Anna said with a reminiscent smile. "I would imagine that if he came to Starfleet he wouldn't be content until he was Captain. He's not too great with taking orders but he has the leadership skills of a successful Captain and he would care for every person in his crew. He would take each loss personally, because he has a big heart, not that he lets many people know that fact."

"Sounds like a nice guy" commented Tammy with a smile.

"He is" Anna replied.

Anna continued to make small talk with Tammy and Jeff, mostly about Starfleet when Captain Pike walked out. Anna and Captain Pike quickly said goodbye before Anna went into the bar and grabbed James to leave.

The next morning Anna woke early. It had been a long time since she'd had to wake up so early to walk to the shuttle bay. She was also surprised when she entered the kitchen to see Jim stood there wearing the same clothes that he had last night.

"Anna?" James called to her when she entered. "Do you think I should join Starfleet?"

Anna looked at him shocked for a moments before smiling and chuckling, "So that's what Pike wanted to talk to you about." She laughed a bit. "I think you should James. I love Starfleet. I think you'd love Starfleet too."

"He said it takes four years to graduate." James commented.

"Yup, but people can do it in three. I did." Anna replied. "I made sure of it."

James smiled. "Suppose I'm not really that surprised"

"Are you going to join?" Anna asked.

James shrugged, looking at his feet.

Anna smiled and grabbed her small rucksack. She knew what that meant. James didn't not know. "Good, you can give me a lift."

James looked up to her and smiled.

They headed out a few hours later and pulled in the riverside shipyard with only a few minutes to spare. When James pulled up, Anna quickly stepped off and headed over to where Pike was standing at the shuttle doors.

"Thank you" she quickly said to him with a smile as she entered the shuttle.

Captain Pike just chuckled.

Anna smiled towards Tammy and Jeff as she passed them before taking a seat with the Cadets. She had yet to change into her Commander gear so she felt more comfortable sitting with the Cadets. In fact she did on the way to Riverside from Starfleet as well. She just felt more comfortable among them.

She placed her rucksack in the holding rack above the seats she had selected. She sat down with two seats to her left. One reserved for James.

It was only moments later when James entered the shuttle, immediately spotting her and heading in her direction. To be honest she couldn't help but laugh as he bumped his head on the metal beam hanging from the ceiling. What she found even more amusing is that it still didn't stop his smile. She watched as he saluted a few Cadets. She presumed they were the ones from the bar last night.

He came and took a seat beside her. She rolled her eyes when he spotted a female Cadet that Anna seemed to remember was at the bar the night before.

"Never did get that first name" he called to the female cadet.

The Cadet just rolled her eyes.

James turned to face Anna asked, "Why are you sitting with us Cadets?"

"Maybe I want to look after my little brother and deliver him to school safely. You know, like a mom walks her kid to school on their first day" Anna said, teasingly as she messed up his hair.

He lightly smacked her hand away before running a hand through his hair to straighten it back out. "Your mean"

Anna just laughed at him.

"I'd be careful with that one. More trouble than he's worth" the female cadet that James had called to earlier called over to Anna. Anna smiled.

"Thanks for the warning but I don't think he'll try anything with me" Anna called back.

"I don't know. I think he'll go with anything with legs" the female Cadet said to her. "You included"

"Okay. Just got a horrible mental image of me and him. I don't know what they like in your neck of the woods but incest doesn't sit too well with me." Anna replied.

The female Cadet didn't respond. Anna had noticed that the girls eyes had widened on the word 'incest', obviously picking up on the family resemblance. Anna just smiled to herself. She liked surprising people.

Anna turned to speak with James when there was a fuss at the back of the shuttle. From what she could guess Tammy had gone to check around and had checked the bathroom to find somebody hiding away in there.

"You need a doctor" Tammy said with a tone of frustration.

"I keep telling you people, I don't need a doctor, dammit, I am a doctor." a rather scruffily middle aged man replied, with a similar tone of frustration as Tammy pulled him away from the bathroom and towards where James and Anna were sitting.

"You need to get back to your seat" Tammy said, still pulling him towards what seems to be the only empty seat, next to James.

"I had a seat, in the bathroom, with no windows" the man almost yelled at her, trying to resist her pulling. He pulled his arm from her grasp.

"You need to get back to your seat now" Tammy was almost yelling in frustration now.

"I suffer from aviaphobia. It means fear of dying in something that flies." the man replied. Anna could see him getting angry.

Anna could see that Tammy was getting really angry and this situation could quickly get out of control. She quickly stood grabbing hold of both Tammy and the man. She spoke to Tammy first, "I'll sort this. I'm sure Chris needs you up front."

Tammy just nodded with a glare towards the man before she stormed off.

Anna then turned to the man, who had been glaring at Tammy as she walked away. He turned his attention to her. She smiled at him, which obviously took him by surprise as his eyes widened.

"The name's Anna. Sorry about Tammy. She see's people every year trying to hide away in the bathroom. It is really unsafe. You are actually safer in the seats with the buckles on then in the bathroom. Trust me." Anna said to him gently.

"Still no windows in the bathroom" he grumbled with a frown in his face.

"Here, sit down by James." Anna said, practically pushing the man down into the seat before he could protest.

He grumped something undistinguishable under his breath before grabbing the buckles. Anna didn't move from her place in front of him until he was buckled in. She smiled before moving to her own seat and buckling herself in.

_"This is Captain Pike. We've been cleared for takeoff"_ Captain Pike's voice spoke overhead.

The man quickly turned to James and said, "I may throw up on you".

Anna almost snorted in amusement, already having the mental picture of James with sick on him.

"Feel free to throw up on James but if you get one bit of sick on my new clothes I'll make your academy life a living hell" Anna told him, beginning with a joking tone before turning serious when it came to her and her clothes.

The man looked slightly put out, obviously trying to decided whether to be worried or not.

"I think these things are pretty safe" James said to the man.

"Don't pander to me, Kid. One tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in 13 seconds. A solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats. And wait till you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles, see if you're still so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence." the man started his monologue.

"enthusiastic or what?" Anna commented sarcastically before facing James and asking, "Can we keep him?"

James snorted at Anna's question but otherwise ignored it before replying to the man. "Well, I hate to break it to you but Starfleet operates in space."

"Yeah, well, I got nowhere else to go. The ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I got left is my _bones._" the man said as he took out a small flask of something from his jacket pocket before taking a sip.

Anna couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. She had no idea what it was like to go through a divorce. She'd only experienced love, never heartbreak.

The man looked over to the pair of them before offering the flask. Jim took it. He held it up in almost a salute way before saying "Jim Kirk".

Jim took a sip and then passed it to Anna. Anna hesitantly took a sip unsure of what was inside it. She smiled at the man when she tasted the familiar flavour of whiskey. "Anna Kirk"

She handed the flask back.

"McCoy. Leonard McCoy. You two twins or something?" the man, Leonard, asks.

"Or something." Anna quipped quickly before expanding "I'm older by two years. This kid is my little baby brother"

"Stop calling me your baby brother." James exclaimed to her before leaning over and saying to Leonard, "Be glad she's not your sister. She's crazy"

Leonard snorted a laugh.

Anna glared at the pair of them.

To Anna it felt almost the same as when she last travelled to Starfleet with a bunch of Cadets. Every summer for three years she had to sit on the shuttle among her fellow Cadets. Though this year was a lot more entertaining considering Leonard McCoy did end up throwing up all over James. Anna knew she would never forget the look on James face when it happened.

When we landed at Starfleet, an hour after Leonard had thrown up over James, Anna stood and pulled down her rucksack. She searched through it quickly and handed James the spare pair of clothes that she had packed for him.

He looked at her questionably, and so did Leonard.

"You really think I was going to let you walk into Starfleet wearing a shirt with blood and now sick on it?" Anna replied with a raised eyebrow.

James shook his head.

"Go and get changed in the bathroom. I'll tell Chris to go on without us. I can get you where you need to go. You're welcome to stay with us if you want Leo or you can go with Captain Pike" Anna said, directing the first bit at James and the second at Leo.

"Leo?" Leo questioned but didn't respond her previous statement.

Anna took that response as a 'yes' so she quickly found Captain Pike and told him about the situation.

Moments after Captain Pike and other Commanders had led the group away, James and Leo walked out of the shuttle. Anna smiled as they approached. Leo looked exactly the same as when he had exited the bathroom at the beginning of the journey. The same frown etched upon his face. Jim, however, looked a lot better with a change of clothes.

Anna silently led them to the main hall where the other Cadets were collecting their Padds, just like she had done six years ago in her first year.

"You collect your Padds here. These will be your diary. Everything is on there. Your schedule, room allocation, your reading list, learning resources. Everything. You queue up by the first letter of your last name. After that I suggest you go straight to your rooms, meet your roommate and settled down." Anna told them with a smiled nodding into the room. "Of you go. James I'll meet you later."

James nodded before heading inside, obviously noticing that there were quite a few female cadets in his line. Leo, however, hovered.

"I'm starting to get the feeling you're not a Cadet." Leo commented.

"Probably cause I'm not. I graduated three years ago. I'm currently first officer and first tactical officer on board the USS Truman." Anna replied with another smile. "Though soon I'll be transferred to the USS Enterprise as their first tactical officer. As soon as it's done."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Then why were you sat with the Cadets."

Anna shrugged. "More comfortable. Anyway you better get your Padd and find your room. If your roommate beats you there they'll probably steal the best bed."

Leo gave her a rare smile before nodding. "It was nice to meet you."

"And you. If you stick with James, I'll probably see you around some time." Anna commented.

"I hope so." Leo said before heading inside the building.

Anna quickly walked off and in the direction of her quarters.

She currently resided with the staff of the Academy, purely because when she took the position of First Tactical officer on the USS Truman, they didn't bother moving her from her professor quarters. After all she did get quite comfortable in that apartment during her one year as tactics aid and hand to hand instructor the year after her graduation. She entered her code into the keypad by her door and entered the room when the door opened.

She was surprised to see that there was somebody else in her apartment. She also noticed that on her coffee table was a vase of flowers, obviously new. She looked up to the person and smiled.

"Spock. What a pleasant surprise" She said, walking to the flowers. "These are lovely. Are they from Vulcan?"

"Yes. I remembered you showed interest in them when I told you about Vulcan plant life." Spock replied.

"Oh, Spock, thank you." Anna gushed, leaning down to smell the flowers.

"I trust you found your visit to Iowa acceptable." commented Spock as he sat down on the sofa that was by the coffee table.

Anna groaned before replying. "I don't know. It wasn't a very good visit to be honest. James got into a fight at the local bar. But Captain Pike convinced him to enlist in Starfleet so it wasn't all bad, I suppose"

"Your brother now attends the Academy?" Spock questioned in his monotone voice.

"Yeah. That's why I was slightly later. I walked him to the main hall to get his Padd." Anna replied as she took a seat next to Spock on the sofa.

A small smile appeared on her face as Spock, almost instinctively, moved his arm around the back of the sofa and on to her shoulders. She leant into him, laying her head on his chest.

"And what of your mission?" Spock asked.

"Eh, it was okay. Just surveying a class M planet. Nothing really interesting. Delta Venga isn't a very interesting planet. Just a few dangerous beasts but we didn't go down onto the service. Captain Rodriguez decided just to do a life scan instead. He thinks we had enough evidence from just a scan for the admiral board to decide whether they want a base there or not. To be honest I don't think there is enough evidence but I suppose they'll put a base there anyway and the next officer to annoy an admiral will be the unlucky sole that has to work out there." Anna told him.

"It may be logical then for you to avoid all Admirals" Spock commented. While he was speaking in his usual tone, Anna could tell he was making a sarcastic comment.

"Hardy har har. I'm laughing so hard I can barely breathe." Anna replied with a very sarcastic tone, and a smirk on her face. She loved it when Spock was sarcastic. She found most of his comments amusing.

"I do believe you are using what you call 'sarcasm'." Spock commented.

Anna didn't stop herself from giggling. "Yes Spock. I am being sarcastic."

Spock hummed in agreement. He placed a hand under her jaw and turned her to face him. "I must admit your company has been greatly missed"

"I missed you too Spock" Anna replied with a small sad smile.

Spock's lips twitched up for second before he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. "I found that while you were away I missed your soothing presence, your sarcastic nature and your obscure knowledge. My t'hy'la."

"Do you want to know what I missed about you?" Anna replied, after she had placed another kiss on Spock's lips. Spock plainly nodded in response to her question. Anna sat up and out of his arm and turned to face him fully.

"I missed your unique phrasing and the way your eyebrow raises whenever I do and say something illogical." As she spoke she ran a finger along his eyebrow. "I missed how your eyes shine with your emotions that tell me, all by themselves, that you love me." She ran her finger down from his eyebrow, circling his eyes in a number eight style. "I miss stroking from the top of your pointy ears to your ear lobe and the shiver you do when I do." She ran her finger from around his eye to his ear. Starting from the top of the ear she ran her finger down to the bottom. As she said, he shivered a little. His ears were sensitive to touch. She smiled at the sight. "I missed the way you would always kiss me goodnight. Never saying the words out loud but through our bond." Anna placed her forehead against his. "And I missed the way you say my name. Full of love and trust, even in monotone"

"Anna" Spock breathed. Just as she said, to an untrained ear it would have sounded monotone, but to Anna and to Spock it was full of love and trust to her.

"I missed all of you Spock. Every part of you. Every single thing about you." Anna whispered to him, leaning even closer to him, her lips almost touching his. Her hand falling into his chest.

Spock didn't waste a second after she had finished speaking to press his lips against hers. He took one of her hands, the same one that she had been running around his face, and pressed his hand against it in a Vulcan kiss.

Anna was the one to pull back to catch her breath. "How about a welcome home treat before dinner?"

Spock's lips twitched up again. "Absolutely."

Spock lifted her up and carried her to her bed, lying her down. Climbing into bed with her, he pressed a kiss onto her lips.

To Anna, it was heaven, it was familiar, it was safe.

It was home.


	3. Chapter 3

******DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**Three years later**

**STARDATE **18th January 2258

Anna woke lazily that morning. She was happy, well rested and most importantly wrapped in a pair of arms. Her _T'hy'ia'_s arms. Her head was lay comfortable on her pillow. She was resting on her side. One of Spock's arms was up along the pillows above her head and the other was wrapped around her waist holding her against his bare chest. She could feel his head buried in the back of her neck and her hair. She wiggled slightly to get into an even more comfortable position.

"You are surprisingly active this morning." Spock's voice whispered in to her ear.

She giggled and rolled over so she was facing him. His eyes were shimmering with love and adoration so strongly that she could almost feel it when she looked into his eyes.

"Why shouldn't I be. The transfer came through. I am official registered now as first tactical officer on the USS Enterprise... And I'm here with you" Anna replied, moving her head forward and resting her head on his.

"_T'hy'ia._" Spock sighed, pressing his lips against hers in what was meant to be a chaste kiss. However Anna pressed her lips harder onto his, her passion and love running from her into him. Their chaste kiss had finished, starting a new passionate fuelled kiss.

Anna grabbed Spock's shoulder, rolling until he was above her, her bare legs wrapped around his waist as he ground his pelvis in hers. Anna moaned. Spock's hand skimmed down from above her head down over her chest and breast, down her stomach and past her pants, down the outside of her leg as far as he could go before slowly moving back up the inside of the leg towards the one area that Anna was most desperate for. Spock used both hands, taking hold of her pants and quickly pulled them down and off her legs. His hand then moved to her bra and he started pulling that off as well before removing himself of his boxers.

Spock kissed and sucked on Anna's neck as he ran his fingers up and down Anna's body. His lips moved down her body, kissing and sucking as he got lower and lower to her hot spot. Finally to Anna's relief he started kissing, sucking and licking her hotspot. Her body was getting hotter and the knot in her stomach was tightening.

Just as she was about to go over, a beeping rang out in the room. It was a comm. Spock pulled away. Anna groaned. "Spock!"

"Somebody has commed me." Spock commented as he crossed the room to where his Comm was placed on the coffee table.

Anna frowned as she sat up. "Who is it?"

"Commander Laurence. Somebody wishes to take the Kobayashi Maru exam. I shall need to go and check that all programming is correct. The fourth years were learning about the program just yesterday. Any of them could have tampered with the programming. " replied Spock.

Anna stood and walked over to Spock, stepping in front of him. "Fourth year Cadets would be well aware that any tampering would have severe consequences. They won't tamper with it. It will be just as perfect now as it was the last time somebody took it." Anna paused and reached her hands up to cup his face. She pressed a slow kiss on his lips. "Come back to bed."

"I must ensure th-" Spock was cut off by Anna placing another kiss on his lips.

"It will be perfect. Come to bed." Anna whispered into his lips. Her eyes staring into his.

Spock didn't take that much more convincing to let Anna lead him back to the bed.

Later that very same day, Anna was relaxing in their apartment. Spock had left about two hours ago to monitor the Kobayashi Maru test. She was completely unaware of who was taking it and how they would act on the test. She was completely in the dark of everything except the fact that somebody is taking it and that Spock has gone to monitor it.

The test usually goes fairly well in Spock's case as it was meant to be impossible to pass and therefore every time somebody fails it is a good notch in Spock's record book. Anna quitted watching the test after one kid completely broke down when he failed the test. She had to take him outside and calm him down before the instructors could talk with him about the test. After that she was no longer interested in watching.

Anna was surprised when Spock returned to the apartment in a huff. If it had been anybody else, they probably wouldn't have thought he was angry. They would have said he was being perfectly calm. However Anna knew all of his little ticks. Not only were his eyes oozing anger and embarrassment but his hands were clenched and slightly twitching every now and then.

"Spock, what's wrong?" Anna asked.

Spock had walked to straight in front of Anna. He however didn't sit down beside her on the chair, he remained stood up above her. It made Anna uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that she stood to put herself closer to his level.

"What was your motive to seducing me this morning?" Spock questioned rather coldly and forcefully.

Anna quirked an eyebrow in confusion. It was such an odd question to ask. "Because I love you and I was in the mood. We're mates, isn't that what we do?"

"So it was not an attempt to keep me from checking the Kobayashi Maru programming for today's test?" Spock asked, his voice slightly less forceful than before.

"What? No. Spock, what happened this morning would have happened if the test was on or not. Like I said we had sex because we're mates, that's what we do and because we love each other so very much. Now what has you asking these absurd questions?" Anna asks.

"James T. Kirk took the Kobayashi Maru test for a third time just an hour ago. He beat the test" Spock replied, his voice tense.

Anna immediately knew why his eyes were leaking embarrassment. He must have felt embarrassed that the test had been beaten when it was supposed to be an unbeatable test. In fact, he had promised it was unbeatable.

"Oh Spock! I'm sorry. I know you put a lot into this test. How did he beat it?" Anna asked, her voice soft. She reached up and hugged him, his arms around the back of his neck.

"He uploaded a subroutine into the programming, adjusting the conditions of the simulation. In simple terms, he cheated." replied Spock placing his own arms around her to return the hug. "I have also came to ask for you to forgive me."

"Forgive you for what Spock?" Anna asked, confused.

"I have reported my findings to the Academy board. I am sure that your brother will be called into a academic hearing." replied Spock.

Spock was correct. A hearing was called with all third and fourth years in the grand lecture hall. Both Spock and Anna were in attendance. Anna told Spock to go in. She wanted to talk to James before the hearing.

James arrived ten minutes early, which was unusual for him. However Leo was beside him, so it wasn't as surprising. Leo had become a great friend of Anna's. Very often Anna would lend Leo her apartment to sleep in while she was at Spock's so Leo could escape from James' tendency to bring back girls.

"Anna, you'll never believe what I just did." James called as he approached. When he and Leo reached her he placed his hands on her shoulders with a cheerful smile on his face.

"You beat the Kobayashi Maru" Anna said without any emotion in her tone.

"Yes! Why are you not more impressed. I beat the unbeatable." James replied, his voice cheery and excited.

"By cheating" Anna hissed at him, rather quietly, not really wanting other people to overhear.

"Who said I cheated?" James asked, his cocky smirk still on his face.

"Because the Kobayashi Maru is unbeatable. It's programmed to be that way because that is the purpose of the test. Failure and how you react to it. If you beat the test, not only did you fail to understand it then you also must have cheated. I'm not the only one that would pick up on it James, and you can get into a lot of trouble for cheating." Anna hissed at him, her tone getting angrier as she went along.

"Don't worry. Nobody will ever piece it together and tell." James said with his usual smirk before walking past her.

Leo lagged behind with Anna as she groaned at James' ignorance. "They already know don't they?" he asked.

Anna nodded. "Yeah, they do. And this is the hearing for it"

"Is he going to get expelled?" Leo asked, his tone bland but inside he was worried. Since arriving at the Academy he had made plenty of friends, but none were like James and Anna. They were his greatest and closest friends and he didn't really want to lose either of them.

"Not if Captain Pike and I can help it. Captain Pike is probably already in there, asking for the maximum punishment to be suspension" Anna told him, her voice alone told Leo how worried she was for her brother.

Leo placed and arm around her shoulder, "He'll be fine. It's Jim. He can get himself out of any damm mess he gets himself into."

Anna smiled slightly. Leo was correct there. James could seem to sweet talk his way out of anything.

"We better go in. We don't want to be late in." Anna said quietly, stepping towards the door.

Leo nodded and followed her inside.

Anna took her seat in the seat behind Spock. She placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning forward to whisper into his ear. "I know your defence mechanism is done automatically but bear in mind that if you hurt James, you hurt me as well."

Spock reached up, taking the hand that was on his shoulder before nodding and quickly letting go. Anna took that as an agreement, so she sat back up straight and focused on locating James in the crowd. She quickly located him, next to Leo.

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter." the leading Academy Admiral. "James T. Krik, step forward."

Everybody, including Anna, looked over to James as he stood.

"Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?" the leading Admiral asks.

James paused. Anna almost thought he wasn't going to say anything when he suddenly said, "Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly."

The leading Admiral just turned and look towards Spock as Spock stood up. Anna noticed James also looked around. He briefly caught Anna's eye before looking straight forward again.

"Step forward please" the leading Admiral said.

Spock did.

As Spock walked down the leading Admiral spoke to James "This is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam alongside Commander Annabeth Kirk for the last four years"

At this James turned to look back at Anna. She stared in right in the eye and quirked an eyebrow. James quickly glanced at Spock before facing the leading Admiral again. The leading Admiral however addressed Spock "Commander?"

"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test" Spock spoke. Spock faced the Admiral board as he spoke but he was clearly addressing James and everybody knew it.

"Your point being?" James questioned.

Anna groaned quietly and discreetly and rubbed a hand over her face. Of course James would say that and as cockily as it was possible to say. She was surprised she hadn't have predicted it.

"In academic vernacular, you cheated" The leading Admiral said, with force back at James, a frown on his face.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift as the cadets around Anna began whispering amongst themselves about the new development.

"Let me ask you something" James began. He then commented under his breath "I think we all know the answer to" before continuing "The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? I mean, you programmed it to be unwinnable"

"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario" Spock commented.

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios" James commented with a glance back at Anna. James knew very well that that was something that the pair of them shared. Neither of them believed in no-win scenarios. Every scenario had some win in it.

Spock also quickly glanced back to where Anna was sitting. He remembered when he first began creating the idea of the test. It was Anna who helped him come up with the scenario to base the test on. She had also used the very same phrase while they were planning. She had came up with a solution, that while it wasn't a pass, it was the best solution and a solution that she would be willing to call a winning scenario.

"Then not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principal lesson" argued Spock.

"Please, enlighten me." James commented with a cocky attitude.

"You of all people should know Cadet Kirk, a Captain cannot cheat death." Spock replied.

Anna immediately shot up straight in her seat. She knew very well what Spock was implying to and she didn't like it. It was a tough spot for both Anna and James to talk about what their Dad did, and Spock knew that, at least he knew it was tough for her. There was a whisper in the room.

"I of all people?" James questioned. Anna could hear the pain in his voice. He masked it well but after growing up with somebody you could notice pain no matter how well they mask it.

"Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?" Spock explained.

At this Anna stood. The Admirals eyes and therefore everybody else's eyes including both Spock and James went to Anna.

"Permission to step forward Admiral" Anna demanded.

"Permission granted" The leading Admiral said, obviously curious about what Anna wished to add to the argument. It was no secret from the Admirals that Spock and Anna were romantically involved, bonded, and even married in the Vulcan society.

Anna stepped down beside James and spoke into his microphone. "I request the direction this argument be changed. What our father did is irrelevant to the line of inquiry and bringing it up is cheap and hurtful."

"But was it not on the actions of your father on the day of his death that we created the initial idea of the Kobayashi Maru, therefore making it relevant." Spock argued.

Anna sent Spock a glare. He had obviously not picked up her little 'hurtful' hint from before. "The initial reasoning of the test was only ever discussed between the two of us. You would not bring it up had any other Cadet have been up here and therefore is irrelevant in this case."

"Commander Spock I ask you to change your line of argument." the leading Admiral says to Spock.

Anna could see the frustration in Spock. He could clearly tell that Anna had won that argument and he had probably realised by now that arguing against one Kirk is hard, trying to rationalise and argue against two on the same side and winning is next to impossible.

"Furthermore you have failed to divine the purpose of the test." Spock spoke.

"Enlighten me again." James said, his tone laced in annoyance, obviously still from the comment about their father.

"The purpose is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet Captain." Spock spoke.

Both James and Anna were silent. Anna placed a hand on James and squeezed. She had no idea how to argue that comment away. The explanation of the purpose was true, however she knew the test didn't necessarily discredit a possible Captains skill if they failed to divine the purpose. But she didn't wish to call Spock out on that but she didn't want James to get expelled.

Apparently she didn't have to think of a response as a side door opened and in ran a Cadet. "Excuse me, sir."

The Cadet approached and handed a Padd to the leading Admiral. Everyone's eyes were on the two of them. Anna squeezed James' hand once more before letting go and stepping slightly away from him.

Anna watched the facial expression on the Admirals face. It wasn't good. What he said next proved it "We've received a distress call from Vulcan. With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hanger One immediately. Dismissed."

Anna didn't give James a second glance before heading over to Spock. Spock glanced down at her before taking her hand and leading her out. That one glance told her everything. The embarrassment still lingering from the Kobayashi Maru, the frustration left over from the trial, and the worry and nerves for Vulcan and more importantly, his mother.

In the hanger Anna stopped Spock. She was aware that Spock will have to organise the cadets into the ships while she did not and therefore she could go straight onto a shuttle. She pulled him into a private area of the hanger. She placed both hands on his face before leaning up to kiss him. Her eyes met his and they spoke volumes. An apology for the trial and for James, sympathy for the worry he has about Vulcan and his mother, and determination to help Vulcan.

"I just wanted to say - " Anna begun but Spock interrupted her.

"I know... Thank you... You must report to your shuttle."

Anna kissed him again before stepping back. "I'll save you a seat and if you don't get on my shuttle then I'll see you up on the bridge."

Spock nodded before stepping into the main area of the hanger in order to do his duties.

Anna watched him leave before moving to her own shuttle. She stepped on.

"Anna!" Anna recognised the voice before she saw him. Captain Pike. He was waving and pointing to the seat next to him.

Anna stepped up to him and took the seat, smiling at him.

"Don't worry about Jim. I spoke to the board before the hearing. They agreed to setting the maximum punishment to suspension." Captain Pike said.

"Thank you Captain." Anna replied sincerely. She knew that Captain Pike will always have the Kirk's back and she would always be grateful for that.

"I'm glad you're finally on the Enterprise" Captain Pike commented as the doors to the their shuttle closed.

"So am I. I just wish its maiden voyage was with slightly better circumstances." Anna replied sighing. She really felt sorry for Spock. It hadn't been the best of days for him. First his test was beaten, then his 'wife' spoke up for the cheater and not him and now there is a distress call from his home planet where his parents are.

Anna could feel the shuttle lift up and head out. It was time.

The Enterprise was waiting.


	4. Chapter 4

******DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE** 18th January 2258

The bridge of the Enterprise was different to that of the Truman. The bridge on the Truman had a distinct dark green colour to its walls and panels. The Enterprise, however, was silver and white. It looked more high tech. It felt more grand. Anna could definitely tell why this ship was the flagship of Starfleet.

Anna stepped up to her post on the Captains left hand side. She had no seat. Her post was a standing up post with only a possibility of a little fold out chair with straps in the case of an emergency. Her desk was full of screens. Three screens in total. She had a vertical touch screen behind her that could used on both sides. She and the second tactical officer stood either side of the Captain. She was familiar with the second tactical officer. He was a recent graduate. She had worked with him when he did a short one month assignment on board the USS Truman, in fact she had put forward a recommendation for him to go on the Enterprise, after all the best belonged on the Enterprise.

Anna was one of the first people on the bridge with the Captain. The rest of the bridge crew came in in groups of when the shuttles arrived. Anna recognised most of them. Hikaru Sulu, the helmsmen and pilot had been in the hand to hand combat class that she sometimes taught, in the previous year. Pavel Chekov, the helmsman and Russian seventeen year old genius, was the cadet that she had comforted after he had failed the Kobayashi Maru. Both of them smiled at her and gave her a little wave as they passed her to get to their positions.

Spock was one of the last to enter and when he did he passed by her station. When he did he took one of her hands, placed his palm flat to hers in a discreet Vuclan kiss before letting go and continuing on to his post at first science officer. This one little gesture made her smile.

"Mr Spock!" called Captain Pike who had yet to claim his chair for the first time since the ship was built.

"Captain. Engineering reports ready for launch." reported Spock as Captain Pike passed him.

"Thank you." Captain Pike said, walking towards his chair. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the maiden voyage of our newest flagship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today. Her christening will just have to be our reward for a safe return. Carry on." He took a seat in the chair for the first time. "All decks, this is Captain Pike. Prepare for immediate departure. Helm. Thrusters." He spoke the last bit towards Sulu.

"Moorings retracted, Captain. Dock Control reports ready. Thrusters fired. Separating from spacedock." reported Sulu as he did what he was saying.

Anna could barely feel the Enterprise leaving the dock. If she couldn't see it through the bridge window she wouldn't have known they were moving if there weren't a slight tremor under foot.

"The fleet's cleared the spacedock, Captain. All ships ready for warp." Sulu reported.

"Set a course for Vulcan" Ordered Pike, spinning round on his chair to face Sulu. He had done a small spin to make sure everybody at the stations were ready to leave.

"Aye-aye, Captain. Course laid in." reported Sulu, spinning to face the Captain, awaiting further instructions.

"Maximum warp. Punch it." ordered Captain Pike.

Anna watched as the other ships zoomed off at warp. She saw Sulu push the warp lever forward and was confused when she saw that they weren't going to warp. She could hear the engines obviously working. She watched as Sulu pulled the lever back equally confused as to why they weren't moving. The rest of the bridge crew was also watching now.

"Lieutenant, where is Helmsman McKenna?" Captain Pike asked.

"He has lungworms, sir. He couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaru Sulu." Sulu replied, spinning to face the Captain. Anna could see the nerves on Sulu's face on being called out by the Captain and the embarrassment of the whole bridge crew watching.

"And you are a pilot, right?" Captain Pike asked.

"Very much so, sir." replied Sulu.

Anna felt bad for Sulu. She knew he was a brilliant pilot, she had once sat in on one of his test flight simulations as the Commander of that particular simulation had asked her to when a Commander had fallen ill. She knew he could also do with someone showing him some support. "He's a brilliant Pilot Captain. I sat in on his final flight exam at the Academy."

Captain Pike nodded to Anna in acknowledgement of what she was saying. Sulu sent her a thankful smile before turning back to his screens.

"I'm not sure what's wrong here." Sulu admitted to the Captain.

"Is the parking brake on?" Captain Pike asked, his chair slightly spun so he could share a glance with Spock. From his tone Anna couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or not, but she did know what that glance meant. They were deciding whether to get the replacement helmsman to take over.

"No. I'll figure it out. I'm just..." Sulu replied nervously.

Anna couldn't let Sulu carry on. She thought back to his exam and on the one thing that he fell back on in the exam, something he forgot to do. "Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?" she asked him.

She could see the realisation on his face as she said it. He pressed a few buttons, looking straight forward before leaning back in his chair slightly and reporting "Ready for warp, sir."

"Let's punch it" ordered Captain Pike.

Sulu tried the Warp lever again and both Anna and Sulu were glad to see that it had worked.

Once the ship was steadily at warp Sulu turned to the Captain and reported "Engines at maximum warp, Captain."

Captain Pike nodded before turning his attention to the other person on the Helm. Pavel Chekov. Chekov was another recommendation of Anna's, except he had a recommendation from Spock as well. Anna kept an eye on Chekov after his Kobayashi Maru test, and became almost like a second advisor to him. Spock had been his instructor and was impressed by him and so he also gave a recommendation when Anna did.

"Russian whiz kid, what's your name? Chanko? Cherpov?" asked Captain Pike.

Anna gave a little giggle at Captain Pike's pathetic attempt at remembering Chekov's name.

"Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, Sir" Chekov replied, turning to face the Captain.

"Fine, Chekov, Pavel Andreivich. Begin ship-wide mission broadcast." ordered Captain Pike.

"Yes, sir. Happy to." replied Chekov.

Anna looked over to Spock as Chekov begun logging on to his computer. She had caught him looking over at her. She could see the worry in his eyes still, about what was happening on Vulcan. She smiled at him reassuringly.

_'It will be fine Spock.'_ She sent to him through their bond. It was rare that she used her bond to speak to him, it was usually only him speaking through their bond. While she did not mind speaking through the bond, especially at times like this but with general conversation she preferred to speak out loud.

_'Thank you for your reassurance and support, Anna. It is most appreciated.'_ he replied.

'_you are welcome Spock.'_ Anna smiled towards him as she replied.

She carried on smiling until she tuned into what Chekov was saying. "a lightning storm in space..."

Anna could help but let her mind flash back to the nightmare that had engrained itself into her mind. The one memory from her childhood she wished she could forget. The day of James' birth and the day her father died. There had been a lightning storm then before everything had happened. She remembered because she had been sat by the window in the medical bay. She had seen it. She had seen what had come through it from both that window and the window from the shuttle she had been on with her mother and baby James. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Captain!" she called, as soon as the transmission had finished.

Captain Pike turned his chair to face her. She noticed that Spock did as well. As did most of the rest of the crew. She realised then there must have been quite a lot of stress in her tone for everybody to turn to face her.

"Yes, Anna" Captain Pike replied.

"Sir, a lightning storm in space is rare. There's only ever been one other time it has occurred. Twenty-five years ago, the day the USS Kelvin was destroyed." Anna told him. "And that ship appeared from it. What if that ship is there, at Vulcan? Nobody ever did find out what happened to it."

"Anna, nobody has heard about that ship in twenty-five years. I am sure that had this ship wanted anything to do with Vulcan it would have done it far before now." Commented Captain Pike.

"But Captain - " Anna went to argue again when there was a noise from behind the bridge doors. The doors opened and not only did James run in but so did Leo and a girl in a red shirt. Anna believed she'd heard Spock call her Uhura before now.

"Captain Pike sir, we have to stop the ship!" James almost shouted.

"Kirk, how the hell did you get onboard the Enterprise?" asked Captain Pike.

Leo stepped forward, in front of James, placing an arm out to stop James from approaching Captain Pike any more. "Captain, this man's under the influence of a severe reaction to a vaccine.."

"Bones, please..." protested James.

"He's completely delusional and I take full responsibility. " Leo said at the same time that Jim was shouting "Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster. It's being attacked by Romulans."

"Romulans? Cadet Kirk, I think you've had enough attention for one day. McCoy, take him back to medical. We'll have words later." Captain Pike ordered, dismissing both James and Leo.

"Aye Captain" Leo replied trying to grab hold of James.

Anna knew that James had picked up on the same thing she had. She wanted to speak up in his defence but Spock came and stood next to her and wrapped his little finger around hers, she decided instead to be quiet. Spock had always used his little finger to tell her when he thought her next move would be highly illogical and she usually listened to him. It was also a form of comfort between them, usually him comforting her.

"Look, sir, that same anomaly that we saw today.." Began Kirk when Spock stepped forward and decided to join in.

"Mr Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this vessel, Captain." said Spock.

"Look I get it. You're and great arguer I'd love to do it again..." James started at the same time Spock said "By Starfleet regulations that makes him a stowaway."

"I can remove the cadet..." Spock continued.

"Try it" Shouted James

"James!" Said Anna trying to get James and Spock to stop arguing.

"This Cadet is trying to save the bridge" James continued anyway.

Anna left her post to approach the three of them that had managed to stand in a triangle. She slipped herself in-between Captain Pike and Spock, slipping her little finger back into Spock's.

"By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?" asked Spock almost confussed.

James didn't bother to reply to Spock, he addressed Captain Pike instead. "It's not a rescue mission. Listen to me, it's an attack"

"Based on what facts?" questioned Spock, his tone still heated, now even more so with the blatant disregard by James to his earlier question.

There was a pause as James took a breath before he spoke again, "That same anomaly, a lightning storm in space that we saw today, also occurred on the day of my birth, before a Romulan ship destroyed the USS Kelvin."

"Yes, an occurrence that Anna has already informed us of." commented Spock, his little finger tightening around Anna's.

"That ship, which had formidable and advance weaponry was never seen or heard from again. The Kelvin attack took place on the edge of Klingon space and at 2300 hours last night, there was an attack. Forty-seven Klingon warbirds destroyed by Romulans, sir, and it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship." James continued, again ignoring Spock.

"And you know of this Klingon attack how?" Captain Pike asked.

James looked over to Uhura, and so everybody else did as well. Uhura straightened her back, took a deep breath and spoke to Captain Pike, "Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk's report is accurate"

"We're warping into a trap, sir. The Romulans are waiting for us. I promise you that." James confirmed for Captain Pike.

Anna watched and waited as Captain Pike turned to face Spock.

"The cadet's logic is sound. And Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics. We would be wise to accept her conclusion" Spock reported.

"Scan Vulcan space. Check for any transmissions in Romulan." ordered Captain Pike to his First communications officer.

"Sir, I'm not sure I can distinguish the Romulan language from Vulcan." the officer replied.

Anna shook her head. As first communications officer he should have been able to distinguish from the two. Even Anna could. She knew Vulcan and Romulan, as Spock taught her both during their Academy years.

"What about you? Do you speak Romulan Cadet.." Captain Pike asked Cadet Uhura.

"Uhura. All three dialects, sir." Uhura replied.

"Uhura, relieve the lieutenant." Order Captain Pike.

"Yes Sir" Uhura replied. She walked to the post as the lieutenant who had been there disappeared off the bridge. She took a seat and immediately started checking the channels.

"Hannity, hail the USS Truman." ordered Captain Pike towards Lieutenant Hannity, who is in control of interfleet communications.

"All the other ships are out of warp, sir, and have arrived at Vulcan, but we seemed to have lost all contact" reported Hannity.

"Sir, I pick up no Romulan transmission, or transmission of any kind in the area" reported Uhura.

Anna's breathe freezes. She knew silence was never good in communications. She let go of Spock's little finger and griped his arm instead. She was afraid and it wasn't even her planet that this was happening around.

"It's because they're being attacked" concluded James seriously.

Anna watched as Captain Pike walked silently to his chair before taking his seat. "Shields up. Red alert."

Anna rushed back to her spot, immediately putting up the shields. She watched as the second tactical officer put on the red alert. Some of the white panels turned red and the alarm sounded. Everybody at their stations was ready to do their jobs.

"Arrival at Vulcan in five seconds" reported Sulu from the helm.

Anna noticed Spock was still stood beside James and not at his post. She didn't know how even his great Vulcan control was holding back the worry and fear that she saw within his eyes.

"Five. Four. Three. Two..."


	5. Chapter 5

******DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE**18th January 2258

"..One."

Anna watched horrified as the Enterprise exited warp. It was a ship graveyard. The five ships that had left the Starfleet port before them were now just bits and pieces. She saw the bridge to the USS Truman. Some of her good friends were on that ship. If her transfer hadn't have come through when it did, she would still be assigned to that ship and would have been on it. That thought scared her.

"Emergency evasive" Captain Pike shouted.

"On it sir" Sulu shouted back.

Anna spotted that Spock had returned to his post.

Crewmen were yelling out different figures that even Anna couldn't tell what each individual one was saying. The ship jolted as it hit a part of another ship. Anna was flung sideways but managed to grab onto the two handle bars that her station had to keep her steady and upright.

"Damage report!" Captain Pike ordered.

"Deflector shields are holding." Anna shouted back at him, pressing multiple buttons on her screens to make sure the shields remained at the best they could.

"All stations! Engineer Olson, report." Captain Pike ordered through the internal ship comm.

There was no reply as Sulu skilfully piloted around the debris that scattered the space around Vulcan. When they avoided one piece they ended up in direct line of another.

"Full reverse. Come about starboard 90 degrees. Drop us down underneath them, Sulu" Captain Pike ordered.

Anna watched as it went down and under. She believed they had done so successfully when a one of her screens flashed. A few panels from the top of the ship had been taken off from a collision with that piece. They had scraped the along the bottom of the floating debris. The deflector shields that should have prevented any piece of the Enterprise coming off where down in that area because of the collision. Anna worked to get them back operational but they would not. She would either have to spread out surrounding shields which would weaken the surrounding areas or just leave it. She didn't really want to weaken the ship. She didn't get chance to do anything as suddenly she saw it.

It was just like twenty five years ago for her. It was it. It was that ship, the very ship that had destroyed the USS Kelvin and killed her father. Everybody on the deck was as horrified as Anna to see the massive ship.

"Captain, they're locking torpedoes" reported Spock.

Anna looked horrified over at Spock. She knew that the ship wouldn't stand a barrage of fire from that ship. It hadn't taken that ship long to take out the Kelvin and the ships that now floated around in Vulcan space.

"Divert auxiliary power from port nacelles to forward shields" directed Captain Pike.

Anna watched on her screen as the power in her shields went up as the science officer in charge of the auxiliary power diverted it to her screen. Anna passed the power through the shields, focussing heavily on the areas that were most vulnerable to the attack that is about to happen.

Anna felt the blow to the ship as the first attack landed. She saw on her screen the state of the shields and where they had been hit. The shields there hadn't received the boost yet. Deck six. A medical bay. She was suddenly thankful that Leo was up on the bridge and not on that deck where she was sure he would have been had he not come up with James.

"Anna, status report." ordered Captain Pike.

"Shields at 32%. Their weapons are powerful sir. We can't take another hit like that." Anna replied.

"Get me Starfleet command." Ordered Captain Pike at response to the bad news.

"Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. It's signal appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities." Spock reported.

Anna glanced over at him. Anybody would have thought that was a monotone report but Anna knew better. He was worried and scared for his planet.

"All power to forward shields. Prepare to fire all weapons." ordered Captain Pike.

Anna quickly tapped at her screens. More power was leaking into the shields but she knew it wouldn't be fast enough. The power of the shields were rising but not a rate that would make much of a difference.

"Captain, we're being hailed." reported the now Lieutenant Uhura.

And at that a Romulan appeared on the screen. Anna face fell into a frown. Was this the Romulan responsible? The Romulan that had killed her father?

"_Hello." _The Romulan spoke in a deep voice, typical of a Romulan.

The deck was silent apart from the voice of Captain Pike as he spoke. "I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?"

"_Hi, Christopher. I'm Nero."_ Nero spoke. Anna couldn't help but notice the disrespect Nero had shown by not using the title of 'Captain'.

Anna glanced over to James. He had the same face on that she did and probably had the same thought running through his mind as what was running through hers. This was the man that had killed their father.

"You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location." Captain Pike said, his voice filled with both authority and confidence.

"_I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart. As does your Vulcan crew member. Isn't that right Spock_?" Nero questioned.

Everyone on the deck turned to face Spock as he stood from his post. Anna couldn't help but move from her post as well to stand next to him. She was his wife after all, what effects him effects her too.

"Pardon me, I do not believe that you and I are acquainted" Spock replied to Nero as he approached the Captains side. Anna stood up next to Spock, between Spock and the Captains chair.

"_No, we're not. Not yet. Spock, there's something I would like you to see_" Nero replied.

"Then how do you know who he is? What business do you have with Spock?" Anna spoke up, questioning Nero, ignoring the comment that Nero had just said.

Nero obviously glanced at her through the screen as she stood next to Spock. He burst into joyful laughter. "_Ah, Annabeth Kirk, wife of Ambassador Spock, you are onboard as well. How wonderful_."

Spock and Anna shared a glance. Apart from the Admirals and other Commanders nobody else knew of their marriage other than those in attendance at their bonding ceremony on Vulcan. Not even James was aware, not through lack of Anna telling him but lack of him listening to her when she tells him. So how was it that this Romulan not only know of them but of their relationship to each other as well.

_"Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the Narada for Negotiations and bring Mrs Kirk with you. That is all" _ Nero said, a smirk on his face and before anybody could reply Nero ended the transmission.

Anna felt the blood on her face drain. She knew that going onboard that ship would be a death sentence but it could be the only way for the Enterprise to stand a chance and therefore Vulcan. She glanced at Spock, more specifically his eyes. They were sad, worried and angry. She then glanced at James. He was looking at her. She could tell that he was just as aware as she was what her fate would be if she went onboard that ship.

Anna turned to Captain Pike. "I will follow your orders Captain."

She could tell Captain Pike was scrutinising her. "I cannot allow you. This could mean death. In fact it probably will. I will not have your death on my shoulders."

"And if I don't it will mean your death and the possible death of the Vulcan people." replied Anna. "If you're willing to listen I have an idea that might appease Nero and hopefully help Vulcan."

Captain Pike nodded, "What do you need?"

"People trained in advanced hand to hand combat." Anna replied. "And not afraid of heights"

Captain Pike turned to the people on the bridge. "Who here is trained in hand to hand combat?"

Anna knew that Sulu would raise his hand and she was right.

"I have training sir" Sulu said.

Captain Pike looked towards Anna.

"Come with us." She said, starting towards the bridge doors. She knew Captain Pike was following, as well as Sulu. She was pretty sure that Spock was following as well.

"Kirk, you too. You're not meant to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the conn." ordered Captain Pike just as we left.

They were well on their way to the shuttle when Anna started explaining her plan. "Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, we can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job. Captain Pike and I will take a shuttle over to their ship. James, Sulu and Engineer Olson will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll get inside, you'll disable it, then you'll beam back to the ship."

"Mr Spock. I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's going on here. And if all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system. Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer." Captain Pike said, again in his voice of authority and confidence.

"What?" James and Anna questioned at the same time as Spock asked "Captain?"

"Please, I apologise, the complexities of human pranks escape me." Spock commented.

Anna glanced at Spock, his face actually showing the emotion of confusion and disbelief.

"It's not a prank, Spock. And I'm not the Captain, you are." Captain Pike said towards Spock before turning to Anna, James and Sulu "Lets go."

All three of them turn to follow the Captain but Spock reaches out and grabs Anna's arm before she can move. They both turn to face each other.

"I ask you to re-think your plan Anna." Spock said to her.

Both were well aware that the other three had stopped and were looking as though they were giving the two privacy but it was obvious that all three were listening in.

"This plan is logical Spock. We appease Nero enough to leave the Enterprise alone as well as give Vulcan a chance. Captain Pike and I know what we are doing. Was it not you that said 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one' when we were planning the Kobayashi Maru? This is essentially the Kobayashi Maru. We cannot possibly win without sacrifices." Anna explained to him, reaching up to place a hand on his cheek.

Spock sighed as he leaned into the hand and confessed in such an emotional manner that Anna almost couldn't believe it was Spock. "I - I - do not know if I can live without you"

Anna's eyes teared up. "Please do not say that Spock. I need to know you will live or else to me, this is not a winning solution."

"I ask for you to remain on this ship." Spock said. "You are my T'hy'la. I do not wish to lose you."

Anna smiled sadly at him. "I will be always yours Spock, and do you know what that means? I will always be with you, if not in person then in here" Anna pointed to where his heart was. "And in here." She placed her other hand onto his forehead.

Spock didn't reply but he leant down and pressed a sweet but desperate feeling kiss onto her lips. "Please" he whispered.

"I'm sorry Spock. Just know that I will always love you, my Spock, my T'hy'la, my husband." She spoke quietly but they both knew that it had travelled to where the three others were standing.

Anna placed one last farewell kiss onto Spock's lips before turning and approaching the other three. Captain Pike, who knew about their relationship since the very beginning. James, who's mouth was open in shock. He knew that Spock and Anna were friends but he never suspected they were in love, let alone actually married. He thought that Nero had just gotten it wrong. Apparently not. Then there was Sulu, who's shock was apparent on his face, but not as much as it was on James'.

Captain Pike stepped into the lift that was behind them, Anna stepping in close behind. Anna turned and faced Spock. He was coming no further with them. This could be the last time she laid eyes on him, and they both knew that. Anna was taking advantage of that fact and was taking in everything about him. Every part of his body, every mini movement, every emotion that passed through his eyes as he did the same to her.

"Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you and Anna?" James asks as he and Sulu also step into the lift.

Captain Pike looked over to Anna for the answer.

"I guess you'll have to come and get us" replied Anna, with a sad smile to James, taking one of his hands in hers.

"Careful with the ship, Spock, she's brand new." Captain Pike said to Spock.

Spock nodded before latching his eyes onto Anna's. She smiled softly at him and blew him a kiss.

_I love you Spock, remember that._ She sent through their bond, and she was happy when she saw his lips twitch up slightly.

And then the doors to the lift closed cutting off her view of Spock.

James tightened his grip on her hand making her glance up at him. "He'll be fine" he whispered to her. "I'm more worried about you"

She smiled to him. "I'll be fine James. I made a promise to you remember. I promised I'd never leave you"

He smiled ordered, "Stay alive until I can get you. Both you and Pike"

"Of course James. You stay safe" She replied, pressing a kiss to his cheek before letting go of his hand.

The rest of the ride in the lift was in silence. The atmosphere was tense as they approached the shuttle.

Captain Pike and Anna went ahead and prepped the shuttle as Sulu, James and Olson get ready to space-dive. And when they were ready they entered the shuttle. Anna and Captain Pike were already sat ready in the pilot and co-pilot seats.

"_Shuttle 89, USS Enterprise, you are clear forward. Interval check shows positive and steady_" a voice came through the comm on the shuttle.

Anna glanced back to see Olson, James and Sulu taking a seat in the back of the shuttle. She chewed on her bottom lip. James was going into the danger zone and she would have no idea if this little idea would be successful or not. Both she and Captain Pike could hear the conversation from the back as they did their pre-flight checks.

"You got the charges, right?" James asked Olson.

"Oh yeah" Olson replied. "I can't wait to kick some Romulan ass. Right?"

Anna wasn't quite sure what to make of Olson. He was a very good engineer but he seemed far too excited for this mission. She just hoped this enthusiasm didn't get in the way of the mission and it didn't cost his life or the lives of Sulu and James.

"Yeah" James agreed, but even Anna could tell when she was only half listening that he was only saying it half heartedly.

"Hell yeah" Olson agreed further.

Captain pike began the takeoff and began directing the shuttle out of the shuttle bay.

"_Shuttle command, we advise you activate you shields now"_ the voice came through the comm again.

Anna quickly went about putting up the shields for the shuttle just before they exited the shuttle bay out into the debris in space.

Captain Pike piloted the shuttle around the side of the Enterprise and towards the massive ship, the Narada.

"So what kind of combat training do you have?" Anna heard James ask, supposedly to Sulu.

"Fencing" Sulu replied.

Anna could just imagine the look of shock on James' face. She knew what he was thinking, how would fencing help at this moment. Anna smirked knowingly. She knew Sulu would never go on a combat mission without his sword. She kept an eye on their location until the point she knew she would have to instruct.

"Pre-jump." Anna called to the three in the back. It only took a glance to see that they had heard her. They were putting up their fabric hoods and their helmets before standing up.

_"Shuttle commander, you are clear from USS Enterprise airspace"_ came through the comm.

Anna took a deep breath. It was almost time. She was nervous to James, but she knew if she wasn't she would be nervous about herself and Captain Pike and she favoured being nervous about James as James had a better chance of surviving his mission then she did hers.

The doors separating the piloting station and the rest of the shuttle closed.

"Boys, we're approaching the drop zone. We have one shot to land on that platform. They may have defences, so pull your chute as late as possible. Three. Two. One." Anna spoke through the comm to them. She nodded to Captain Pike who pulled a lever. That should have disabled the gravity and pressure in the back of the shuttle.

"Remember, the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill." Anna paused in her space to nod to Captain Pike who reached up to another lever and just as he was pulling it she said, "Good luck"

She didn't need to hear the door to know they had gone. She silently wished them luck in her head and she hoped that this idea worked. She watched as Captain Pike push the lever back in, shutting the doors again. Captain Pike glanced over to her.

"They will be okay. It's a good plan" Captain Pike reassured her.

She just nodded as the shuttle reached the outer arms of the Nevada. The shuttle went through the middle.

"I always wondered what the Captain of Kelvin felt when he was doing exactly this twenty five years ago. I never anticipated that I would find out." Anna spoke as they got ever nearer, her fear causing a lump in her throat stopping her from speaking any more.

Captain Pike reached across and took her hand as they approached the doors to their shuttle bay.

He let go of her hand only to land the shuttle. Romulans were upon them as soon as they landed. Captain Pike walked out first with Anna following directly behind him on his left. They were lead towards what she presumed was the Nararda's version of a bridge. It was messy, disorganised. It seemed that different stations were scattered around the expanse of the room. All the stations were standing stations. There only seemed to be one chair. The Captain's chair. And sat on it seemed to the be the one face that Anna knew she would never forget should she survive this. The murderer of her father, her friends and now possibly Spock's planet.

Nero.


	6. Chapter 6

**********DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE **UNKNOWN

Anna had no idea as to how long she had been there onboard the Narada. She had no concept of time since she had first stepped up onto the bridge. Both she and Captain Pike had been forced to watch the destruction that had claimed Vulcan. Anna watched horrified. Had James been caught in that? Had Spock parents managed to evacuate? Anna loved Amanda, Spock's mother, like a daughter would love their mother. And Sarek had charmed her just as much as she had charmed him on their first meeting, after all father like son.

After that, everything blurred. Both her and Captain Pike were dragged to another area of the ship, drugged and tied down on tables. Both slightly tilted so the head was slightly higher. They were placed almost next to each other. If Anna looked across she would see Captain Pike.

She was trying not to, in fact she was trying to avoid looking anywhere on the ship. Not at Captain Pike and the discomfort and pain on face, or at Nero who was constantly stalking nearby, waiting for one of them to break.

Anna face scrunched up in pain. They had put a device on the bottom of her now bare foot, it was pierced right through her foot so the second part of the device could be placed on top of the foot. It still stung from when they pierced it through and it throbbed. Every ten minutes it would send an electric shock through her body, making a scream rip through her throat. They began mild like a little static shock but they were gradually getting more painful as they went on.

She tried to distance her mind like Spock had once taught her. She was trying to distance the pain but she just couldn't. She couldn't find anything to latch onto long enough, where the pull was strong enough to keep her away from the pain. But she kept trying.

_**STARDATE**__** 24th December 2249**_

_Anna smiled as she placed up the decorations that she had bought. She had placed a line of tinsel around the walls of the room, excluding the kitchen walls obviously, she didn't want to start a fire. Lights had been pinned to the wall creating a trail of light going from the far left corner to the centre of the dorm room to the far right corner. They were pinned in two places in each direction so some parts dangled down slightly. She had placed a red stocking on the edge of her desk. She had also placed one on Spock's desk, though she was unsure how he was going react to it. Inside Spock's stocking was small gift that she had gotten him. She smiled at the thought of giving him his gift. She just hoped he liked it._

_She had placed a small tree in the corner of the room on her side of the room. She wanted to put it somewhere more central to the room but she didn't want to impose on Spock's space. She had currently left it bare but the tree decorations lay neatly in their box at the foot of the tree. _

_The door suddenly slid open. Anna turned hesitantly to see Spock stood at the doorway looking into the dorm room with a slight glint of curiosity in his eyes._

_"I was unaware that you disliked the aesthetics of the room." Spock commented as he stepped inside and to his desk where he had obviously spotted the stocking hanging from it. "And my desk."_

_Anna just laughed. "No, no, it's not like that. They are temporary decorations for the Christmas holiday."_

_"Christmas. I am unfamiliar with this holiday." Spock said, his hand going to open the stocking._

_"No, don't open it. You can't look until tomorrow. It's not Christmas day yet, it is only Christmas eve." Anna told him quickly, stepping up beside him to ensure he didn't try to open the stocking again._

_"What is the holiday of Christmas?" Spock asked, looking down to Anna was._

_"Christmas was originally a religious celebration for the religion of Christianity, though that time has long passed. Now it's more a celebration because of tradition than anything else. Some still hold it as a religious holiday but not all. Many people decorate their houses in a similar way to how I've decorated this room. It is also a tradition to give the people you care about a gift. Gifts are usually placed under the Christmas tree" as she said this she waved her hand over to the Christmas tree in the corner before continuing, "Or in stockings like these" Anna pointed to the stocking. "Gifts, or presents are usually opened on Christmas morning."_

_"You have gifted me with a... stocking and a gift?" Spock asked, almost unsure._

_"Of course Spock. You're my friend and I care about you" Anna replied with a soft smile on her face._

_Spock just nodded before moving to his bed._

_"Would you like to help me decorate the tree?" Anna asked Spock._

_Spock glanced at her and her hopeful face._

_"I mean, I can decorate it on my own if you don't want to, but decorating the tree was something James and I always did, without fail, on Christmas Eve. And before James was born it was something Dad and I used to do." Anna continued, walking to the tree and taking the decorations out in the order she would need them and placed them on the bed._

_"I shall participate in decorating the tree" Spock replied, finding it hard to disappoint Anna when she was so hopeful._

_Anna handed him the tree lights. "See the middle bit. Place that at the top." Anna instructed him._

_Spock did as she instructed. She stood on one side of the tree as he stood on the other. _

_"Okay, we need to wrap them around the tree. Try and make them evenly spread, starting from the top and working our way down. We'll do that side of the lights first and then we'll do the other." Anna told him._

_Spock nodded and took one side of the lights, wrapping it around his side and passing it to Anna. Spock and Anna worked in almost silence as they wrapped the tree up in lights. _

_"Okay, now the hanging decorations. Just pick on from the box and put it on. Don't worry too much about what your putting where. Christmas trees are usually a unorganised pretty mess." Instructed Anna with a smile._

_They began slowly adding hanging decorations to the tree. Anna was particularly happy when she got to put on a hanging Starfleet emblem. _

_"My mother used to speak of a Terran holiday around this time, however we never celebrated it." Spock suddenly said, as he placed on a hanging model of Vulcan, that he guess Anna had bought especially for him."She used to speak of a grand meal and how she would sit with her family."_

_Anna smiled. "The Christmas day meal is usually the biggest meal of the year in my family. Before Dad died we'd have every member of the family over. I don't remember much from that long ago but there were plenty of holovids of the holidays. I remember I found them in the loft. My mother used to make them to document the holiday, every year without fail until my dad died. After that I tried to put the Christmas spirit into James but we had a few years without a Christmas meal until I was able cook it."_

_"Fascinating." commented Spock._

_Anna turned and got the tinsel for the tree. She handed on to Spock. "Here wrap this round. Try not to cover any lights but don't worry if you do" _

_Spock did as she instructed. Anna wrapped another one around the tree. With a smile Anna turned to the second to last item in the box. A can of fake snow. She smiled mischievously towards Spock as he finished placing his tinsel. She snuck up behind him, quietly shaking the can. She was thankful it was a silent can. _

_Spock turned to face her, obviously about to ask what was next, when his face was suddenly sprayed with some sort of soft substance. He squinted his eyes in the direction of Anna who was giggling with a hand pressed over her mouth. Spock whipped a hand over his face, satisfied with the fact that it brushed off easy enough. He raised an eyebrow in Anna's direction causing Anna to giggle a bit more._

_"What is this substance?" Spock asked her._

_"Fake snow. We put it on the tree because typically in America when we celebrate Christmas it is Winter and so people have aligned Christmas trees with snow. You just have to spray it on and it will settle on the branches." Anna told him, with a smile, handing him the can._

_Spock turned and sprayed on the tree, coating it in snow from the top to the bottom, focussing slightly more on the top. When Anna was least expecting it, he turned suddenly and spray some in Anna's face just as she had done to him._

_Anna just laughed as she whipped it off her face. She looked at Spock to see his usual blank mask was broken slightly. His lips were slightly up turned and his eyes glistened in amusement._

_"Oh that's it. You're in trouble now." Anna said mischievously turning to her bed where her pillows were. She quickly turned and threw one in Spock's direction. It had caught him of guard, hitting him in his back._

_Anna almost expected him to just raise an eyebrow and want to carry on with the tree. What she didn't expect was him to pick up the pillow and throw it back at her. In her shock, she didn't block the pillow or dodge it or try to catch it. It hit her straight in the face. That was the very first moment she had ever heard Spock laugh. It was short and quick but it was a laugh and it made her smile._

_She placed her pillow back and turned to take out the last item of decoration. The angel. She had asked James whether she could put the family angel of her tree at the Academy. He had agreed because he probably wouldn't be doing a tree that year. She smiled. The angel was old. It had been passed down her Dad's side of the family for years. She looked over to Spock. She handed it to him._

_"This angel had been used on my family tree for over one hundred years. When the family welcomes a baby, on their first Christmas they put the angel on the tree, with help from an adult of course. And if there's no new baby's the oldest in the family does it. I think as it's your first Christmas, it would be breaking Kirk tradition if you didn't put it on." Anna said to Spock with a smile._

_Spock's lips twitched up so much that even Spock wouldn't have been able to deny that that wasn't a smile. "It would be an honour to take part in such a long running tradition"_

_He placed the angel on the tree._

_Anna cheered before ordering "Computer, main lights off. Decorative lights at seventy percent."_

_Anna smiled cheerfully as the main lights turned off and the only light in the room was from the decorative lights. It made the room sparkle in different colours as the multi-coloured lights on both the tree and on the ceiling flashed and reflected on the tinsel._

_"Fascinating" commented Spock, and Anna was inclined to agree with him._

_**STARDATE**__** 25th December 2249**_

_Anna woke up bubbling with excitement. She woke earlier than usual, but she always did on Christmas day. She looked over to Spock's bed. He was already awake as his bed was empty. She got up and walked to her stocking where she had placed the gift that arrived in the post from James. She took the stocking and walk back to her bed._

_Just as she took a seat back on the bed, Spock walked out of the bathroom, already in his clothes for the day. _

_"Merry Christmas Spock." greeted Anna. _

_"Happy Christmas" he replied. "Am I correct in assuming that I may open my gift?"_

_"Yes. Me and James used to open them as soon as we woke up. We would always open them at the same time. After all usually it's just a gift each, from each other." Anna told him, with a smile._

_Spock took his stocking and sat on his bed, opposite her and opened his stocking. Anna decided to watch him open his gift before looking into her stocking. Spock reached into his stocking and pulled out a neatly wrapped gift. It was wrapped in typically shiny gift wrap. Spock glanced up at Anna to see her watching him. She nodded in encouragement and so he started to undo one side of the wrapping. He unwrapped it so delicately, not even ripping the paper once. He fully unwrapped it to reveal a box. He opened the box and glanced inside before looking back up at Anna._

_"Plomeek tea. I remembered you said that you favoured it to the tea here. So I went looking for some. I couldn't find any on Earth so I ordered it to be delivered from Vulcan. It was quite a palaver trying to explain the merits of ordering it for a Christmas present to the Vulcans responsible for getting it there." Anna told him with a smile and a small laugh. "Apparently gifting somebody tea from another planet for an old holiday is highly illogical."_

_Anna saw as Spock's lips twitched up. "Your gift... is appreciated. You have my gratitude"_

_Anna took that as he liked it. _

_She smiled as she dug into her own stocking to pull out the gift James had sent to her. However what shocked her was when her hand touched two gifts. She pulled out the gift from James and then another one. The one from James was typically wrapped in shining yellow wrapping paper. She wanted to rip her way into it but after watching the care that Spock had taken with his gift, she thought again and opened it just as delicately as he had opened hers. _

_James had bought her a woolly hat and scarf set. She recognised them from a store in Iowa. She was shocked, she never knew that James had seen her admiring them and she doubted they were just a lucky guess. They were blue and purple stripped with threads of sparkling silver running through them. They were soft to touch and warm. They were old fashioned as they had none of the warming technology the modern scarf and hats had but she much preferred the natural warmth of a normal woollen scarf and hat. She placed them to the side after admiring them._

_She turned to her second gift. It was gift wrapped in silver, almost reflective, wrapping paper. She opened this gift very delicately. She was unsure what she was going to find inside it. Once the wrapping paper was removed she was shocked to find two padds. One had a book uploaded which was titled 'The Vulcan culture' and the other had a book on tactics. She knew she had been moaning to Spock about how she had been trying to take it out of the library for weeks but somebody always had it. She knew instantly who she needed to thank for her gift. She looked up to him, as he sat on his bed. He was watching her just as she had been watching him when he opened her gift. _

_"Thank you Spock." She said to him as she stood. She stepped over to him and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "But you didn't need to get me anything."_

_"You said yesterday that a tradition at Christmas is to gift people that you care about, it was only logical that I gifted you with something." Spock replied._

_Anna wondered for a moment what he meant by that, did that mean he cared for her?_

_"Well, thank you. I love them." Anna told him. "Do you want a drink? How about your first glass of Plomeek tea since you came to the academy?"_

_Spock nodded."I would be most grateful." _

Anna was shocked out of her memory at an extremely painful shock. She screamed out loud, and opened her eyes to see Nero stood over her.

"Mrs Kirk, how good for you to join us." Nero said. He was stood over her but in middle of her table and Captain Pike's table. She glanced across to Captain Pike. His skin was sweaty and his hair was pulled back in its wet state. He looked like he had walked to hell and back. She wondered if she looked the same.

"I could not believe my luck when you spoke up and I recognised you for who you are. Imagine, Spock's wife being as vulnerable as you are right now." Nero spoke to her. He turned to someone behind him and questioned, "Have you located him?"

"Yes, sir we have his location. We cannot transport to his exact location but we can transport to just outside his hiding place." replied what Anna could only assume was his second in command.

"Prepare her for transportation and send her off." Nero ordered.

Confusion filled Anna. What was Nero thinking or planning?

She just had time to glance over at Captain Pike once more before she felt a pin prick in the side of her neck and everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7

**************DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE**UNKNOWN

Darkness, that was all Anna knew. She couldn't see or hear but she could feel as she was lifted. She felt her feet throbbing. She could tell from feeling that she was being carried somewhere but where she did not know. She wondered what Nero had been on about. She had already figured that the 'her' he had spoke of was herself, but the 'him' and the 'location' she had no idea. What could Nero possibly gain from sending her to someone else. She tried not to think of that. She tried, with all her might to think of something else. Anything else than what her current predicament was.

_**STARDATE**__** 7th October 2250**_

_Anna entered her dorm room with a sigh. She didn't stop to say hi to Spock as she passed him, she just walked straight to her bed, threw her bag beside it and flopped onto it. She buried her head into her pillow and fought against letting a scream of annoyance come out of her mouth. She had had a terrible day._

_"You are emotional" She heard Spock comment._

_Anna raised her head slightly to glance over to Spock. "I'm human Spock. I'm meant to be." she replied before burying her head back into her pillow._

_She didn't hear a reply. She heard movement come from him but that was it. She sighed again before turning onto her side facing the wall. She closed her eyes hoping her mind would let her rest and sleep so she could put this day behind her._

_"Anna" Spock's voice made her turn to face him. He was stood above her bed with her mug in his hand. He passed the mug over to her. Anna smiled when she saw what was inside. Hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream. She took a sip. She stood corrected, Hot chocolate with marshmallows, topped with whipped cream. _

_"You have made it a habit to have Hot chocolate when you are being emotional." Spock commented._

_Anna smiled a bit more. "Thank you Spock."_

_"I assume the reasoning behind the emotions is from an event that occurred today?" Spock asked. _

_Anna took this as he was curious to the reason she was being so 'emotional'. _

_"Just had a bad day, that's all. Commander Harris has lost my coursework for my tactics project, which means I have to start from scratch with only two weeks before the hand in. And then I had an argument with Jack." replied Anna, looking down to her Hot chocolate as she spoke._

_"Another disagreement?" questioned Spock. _

_Anna sighed. It did seem to be a common occurrence that she argued with Jack, and always about the same subject._

_"Am I to assume that the topic of argument was your involvement with me?" Spock questioned._

_Anna sighed again and nodded. "Yes. He thinks I spend too much time with you and too little time with him. Apparently I talk about you too much. I think he just doesn't understand that your my friend and roommate. He won't stop going on about it, especially since we came back after summer. I don't think he likes the fact we requested to room together again when there were other rooms available. Sometimes I feel that we're arguing more than we do anything else" Anna ranted, knowing she needed to get it off her chest. She felt bad ranting to Spock, but he was her closest friend._

_"My mother once said that if the positives do not outweigh the negatives then the endeavour is not worth it. Perhaps it could also be said for this situation as well. It is after all illogical to remain emotional" Commented Spock._

_Anna looked up to where Spock was still stood, above her. She half shrugged, half nodded. "Maybe. don't know."_

_Spock never replied after that, instead he walked over to his spot where he meditates. Anna took that as he had no further comments or reassurances. She sighed silently. Spock had always been supportive and caring of her since they first met on their first day of their first year, whether he recognised it or not. He always did little things, like making her Hot chocolate when she is 'emotional' or setting her alarm to wake her at the right time when she had forgotten to go it herself. She wondered if he would have been this attentive to anybody else had they decided to get new roommates that year instead of bunking together again. It made her wonder but it made her smile. _

_He always made her smile when he did something small that spoke volumes like he had that day._

_**STARDATE **__** 14th February 2251**_

_Anna buzzed around the room like a bee searching for honey. She had lost her padd and she needed it for her lecture that started in twenty minutes. She still needed to find her padd and walk all the way over to the lecture. Spock was sat at his desk, obviously trying to work. He didn't have a lecture today but did have a Phonology exam tomorrow. Anna's frantic searching and therefore messing up of their room was distracting to him._

_"What have you lost?" Spock questioned her._

_"My padd." replied Anna quickly as she searched under her bed in case it had dropped down the side."It is not on my desk, where it normally is."_

_"I placed it in your bag in the early hours of this morning. You have forgotten to take your padd to your lectures three times so I thought it logical to place your padd in your bag so you cannot forget it." Spock told her, not even turning away from his work. Spock heard as Anna stopped her frantic searching._

_Anna walked to her and bag and opened it up. Placed in between her Tactics padd and her comm was her general padd, the very padd she'd just spent the last hour searching for. She looked over to Spock who was still sat at the desk. She approached him and stood next to him. "Thank you Spock" she said, pressing a small kiss to his cheek. _

_She smiled grabbing her coat and headed out of the dorm room to her lecture._

_Her lecture was on survival strategies from history. About half way through, at about 1500 hours, a cadet stepped in and up to the lecturer. He spoke quietly to the lecturer until the lecturer nodded to him. The cadet rushed out the door and returned with another cadet. The pair of them were pulling trolleys behind them. Anna groaned when she saw what was in them. Roses. She remembered the Academy had decided to get traditional this Valentine's day, so this year cadets could buy a rose and have it sent to somebody, anomalously or not anomalously, and they would be handed it out in the afternoon of that day. Anna had said to many people that she did not want to receive a rose but Anna knew she secretly hoped that she had received one rose, but only from one specific person, but she didn't get her hopes up to high after all, after the disastrous end to her relationship with Jack, she didn't really want to get hurt again._

_The cadets with the roses began handing them out to who they need to go to. Several girls got two roses from two different admirers but most only got one. Anna who had been sat nearer to the back of the lecture hall was one of the last to receive anything and she was extremely embarrassed when the cadet handed her ten individual roses. She blushed bright red and she accepted them, with the entire class looking and whispering._

_She discreetly glanced at the labels. Only three roses came with an label, the rest were anomalous. Her heart fell a little when she didn't see the name she had been hoping for. _

_She sat, half disappointed, half honoured through the rest of her lecture. She was honoured that so many people had sent her a rose but was disappointed to know that they weren't from the one person she wanted to get one from._

_She headed back to her dorm room after the lecture. She managed to grab a small vase on the way back. Once in her dorm room she filled the vase with water, cut off the bottom inch of each rose stem and placed them in the vase. She then placed the vase on her desk. They may not be from who she wanted them to be from but they were still pretty flowers._

_She then noticed that Spock wasn't in. This confused her. He had no lectures and he rarely left the dorm room the day before an exam if he didn't have a lecture._

_It was about ten minutes later when Spock returned. Anna was stood in the kitchen preparing some dinner for both her and Spock. Plomeek soup. She knew it was Spock's favourite food because his mother used to make it for him. Spock stood by the kitchen area, his hands behind his back. Anna presumed he had to hand clasped behind him, like he often had when he stood straight._

_"I observe you did in fact receive several roses" Spock commented, glancing at the roses stood on Anna's desk._

_Anna nodded. "Ten. I would never of guess ten people would send me a rose." _

_Spock nodded as well. "I do not understand the logic behind this holiday, however Hanalee explained to me that human females usually enjoy the emotion connected to it and the receiving of flowers or gifts."_

_"Yeah, most do. It makes them feel loved and cared for. Reassures them that people do care for them." Anna replied, quickly glancing over to Spock before turning back to stir the soup. "The soups almost ready. Will you get the bowls?"_

_Spock ignored her request and instead brought his right hand from behind his back, in which were some flowers._

_Anna was shocked when flowers appeared in her line of view from behind Spock's back. There were three flowers. A white and purple Iris, a pink carnation and finally a red Tulip. She smiled slightly the odd combination._

_"Hanalee also told me that most flowers had meaning behind them when gifted to another person." commented Spock quietly, before handing Anna the first flower. " An Iris, which is not only the flower of your birth month but also means inspiration. Ever since I arrived at the Academy you have confused me, included me, helped me but most importantly inspired me." Spock paused, handing Anna the second flower. " The pink carnation means gratitude. I often find myself gratified with your presence and I am very grateful for your friendship." Spock paused._

_Anna could help the whirlwind of emotions that had come up already from the thoughtfulness of Spock's flowers and the meaning behind them. She was excited to know what the final flower meant._

_Spock handed Anna the final flower. "The red Tulip is meant as a declaration of love."_

_Anna's smile widened even more. Her eyes glassy. Her disappointment from earlier had gone. The one person she had wanted a rose from had gone above and beyond a rose. She placed all three flowers on the side before stepping up to Spock. She reached her hands up around his neck before lifting up on her tip toes, closing the distance between their lips. She glanced into his eyes, her lips hovering only an inch away from his. All she could see in his eyes was love. His love for her. She closed the distance between their lips._

Anna was shocked out of her memory as a voice called to her. Her mind was foggy and her eyes were blurred. She could just about make out a figure in front of her, leaning over. For a moment she panicked that it was Nero but as the figure called out to her again she knew it wasn't. The tone that the person was using was soft, loving almost.

"Beth" it called out.

Anna hadn't been called 'Beth' in a long time. Not many people used the second part of her first name. Most people stuck to Anna and anyone that called her 'Beth' was quickly told to call her Anna by either herself or James. The name 'Beth' just brought back memories of her Dad. That had been his nickname for her and it was reserved for him and only him, even after his death.

Her vision cleared. She looked up at the figure stood above her. The tilted eyebrows, the pointed ears and the very human eyes.

"It give me a great pleasure to know that you are here and alive, Beth" His voice was familiar to Anna but she was struggling to place it as her mind struggled against the fog.

"Who are you... and... how do you know my name?" Anna asked, managing to finally put a thought together as the fog cleared.

"I do and always will love you." The man spoke with a soft smile on his face.

His identity came to Anna like two pieces of a puzzle coming together. This was Spock but not her Spock. The Spock Nero must have known.

"Spock!" She breathed out. She pushed herself up so she was sitting.

This Spock's eyes seemed to shine as she spoke his name.

"It has been many years, my T'hy'la, since I have last seen your beauty. I worried for you as I saw the fate of Vulcan. Were you not on Vulcan?" Older Spock asked.

Anna shook her head. "No. I came here onboard the USS Enterprise after receiving a distress call from Vulcan. Nero attacked the Enterprise and demanded that Captain Pike and I come aboard his ship for '_negotiations_'. He must of sent me here to this place."

"Many things have been changed. In my time, in this year, you were working on Vulcan as a Ambassador from Earth. You had been requested by T'pau so she could meet my bond mate. You had always said you enjoyed working on Vulcan but missed my presence while doing so." Older Spock told Anna.

Anna nodded. "I met T'pau a few years ago. My Spock and I travelled to Vulcan for the bonding ceremony during the summer after my graduation. It was T'pau that performed the ceremony"

The older Spock nodded and commented "Fascinating. I am curious as to how you and my younger counterpart met."

"We were allocated the same dorm at Starfleet Academy in our first year. We shared a dorm until we both graduated in our third year." Anna replied.

"Fascinating. By the time I joined Starfleet you were already in your third and final year at the Academy. You were an aid in my Xenolinguistic class. I was fascinated by you and kept requesting help even though it was illogical as I did not need it." Spock told her with a reminiscing smile on his face.

"So you joined later then what your younger counterpart did?" Anna asked.

"In what year did my younger self join?" Spock asked in response.

"2249" Anna replied from memory.

"Then no. I do not join later. You joined earlier. You joined straight from graduating high school two years early" Spock replied.

Anna nodded. She had spent two years after graduating working behind a bar to raise some money. She had thought about going to Starfleet as soon as she had graduated from high school but she decided to stay with James. She didn't want to leave James alone.

Anna looked around. She was in what looks like an ice cave. She was lay down on a blanket that was stopping the cold from the snow. Part of it was also wrapped loosely around her legs. She reached down and unwrapped it. Her foot no longer had that device in it. Her foot had been wrapped with what looked like a ripped piece of cloth.

"It was bleeding out when I found you." Spock offered in explanation.

Anna looked up to him. He looked pained.

Anna felt a yawn coming and she tried to repress it when it did. She obviously didn't repress it enough because Spock saw it.

"You should rest. I shall keep a lookout" Spock said.

Anna just nodded before lying down. She couldn't deny she was tired and usually if Spock suggests something its usually in your best interest to do it.

_**STARDATE**__** 16th April 2252**_

_Anna sat lazily on her bed. Her padd in her lap reading about the different tactics used throughout history. She had casually persuaded Spock to also sit on her bed. She was tucked quite comfortably between his legs, leaning back against his chest. He was continuously running one finger around her hand, tracing invisible patterns onto it. His other hand was holding up his own padd what his revision notes were on._

_Anna was excited. It was Spock's birthday tomorrow, not that he found logic in celebrating it. She had gotten him the perfect present and it was supposed to arrive today. She had asked one of her close tactics friends, Hanalee to bring it up to the room. It should arrive any minute._

_"Spock" Anna called. She didn't continue until she knew she had his attention. "What are you plans for your birthday?"_

_"I have made no plans. In the past I have only celebrated the day because my mother did." Spock replied. _

_"Oh" Anna said simply. "So you don't want to celebrate it?"_

_"I do not remember sharing that opinion" Spock commented. _

_Anna could tell that it was his own little way of saying he didn't mind celebrating it. She smiled._

_"So what do you want for your birthday?" Anna asked, a mischievous smile on her face._

_"I have no particular desire for any object." Spock replied._

_Anna smiled. "Good." _

_She could see Spock frown, obviously not expecting that response. She could tell he was about to speak when the door chimed, letting them know somebody was outside. She smiled and jumped up. She took hold of Spock's arm and pulled him up, well Spock allowed her to pull him up. She pushed Spock towards the door._

_"It'll be for you" Anna said simply, stepping back._

_Spock raised an eyebrow at her before another chime had him heading towards the door._

_Anna followed a few steps behind him, but stayed back when he actually reached the door. She stepped to the side so she would be able to see his face when he saw his gift._

_Spock pressed the button to open the door and suddenly his face dropped his Vulcan mask and emotions were clearly shown on it. Joy, surprise and gratitude. The person at the door stepped in and quickly pulled Spock in a hug._

_"Mother" Spock greeted when she finally let go._

_"Hello Spock." Amanda Grayson replied. _

_"What are you doing here?" Spock asked, confusion flitting into his face as fast it flitted back out again._

_"I'm here for your birthday. Anna messaged me and told me how much it would mean to you to have me here for your birthday. She paid for my shuttle and organised a room here at the Academy for me to stay in so I could come and visit." Amanda replied. _

_Spock glanced at Anna's smiling face, his lips twitching up into a smile. Not that he needed them to. His eyes said what his lips didn't. Thank you._

_Amanda stayed at the Academy for three days. Anna had wanted to give the two sometime alone but Amanda had always insisted that she go along with them where ever they go and when it was time to finally say goodbye to Amanda, Anna was sad to see her go._


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE **20th January 2258

When Anna next awoke it was due to a noise inside the cave. She sat up, glancing at Spock. Spock stood. He took a stick and lit it with fire from the fire they had going in the middle of the cave. He slowly headed towards the entrance of the cave, like a prey trying to sneak up on its predator to scare it off. Once he was out of sight, Anna was stuck to just listening. She could hear what sounded like a man, yelling and a hiss of a monster crashing its way through the cave.

All of sudden she heard sound of what could have been that monster panicking, screeching and slowly getting quieter, or further away. She presume, or hoped, that Spock had scared it away. She could hear murmuring coming from the entrance of the cave. Presumably between Spock and the person he had just saved. She could hear them approaching. Spock came back into view first and she smiled softly at him when he practically grinned at her. She wasn't sure her Spock had ever grinned at her like that. The person following him however made her try and get up.

"James!" She called, attempting to get up.

James, wearing a coat that she had never seen before, stopped in his tracks. His eyes wide.

"Anna!" he called, suddenly sprinting into life and over to her. He knelt down beside her and pulled her in to what could only be described as a bear hug, almost suffocating her with the intensity of it. She was hugging back with just the same amount of force.

"I was so scared about you. I'd sent you down to that planet and then I saw it destroyed. Are you okay? What about Spock? Is he okay? Has he heard anything from his parents? From Sarek or Amanda?" Anna quickly questioned as she pulled back, her eyes wide, seeking answers.

"I'm fine. Spock's still a dick. His father's onboard the Enterprise but his mother didn't make it." James replied, equally as fast, well aware of Anna urgent need to answers.

"Amanda's gone?" Anna asked, her eyes watering. She noticed that older Spock's eyes were sad, and then she remembered how insensitive it was of her to ask in front of Spock. After all, it was still his mother.

Jim nodded to her question before pulling her back into another hug. When she pulled out, she was more composed so James settled for just taking hold of her hand and holding it as he turned to face older Spock.

"So who are you again" James asked him, his earlier confusion returning.

Older Spock ignored his question. "It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend. Especially after the events of today."

"Sir, I appreciate what you did for me today and for my sister, but if you were Spock as you said before, you'd know we're not friends. At all. You hate me. You marooned me here for mutiny" James spoke, his voice was sincere, and while he was talking he was lifting Anna to her feet and wrapping one of her arms around his shoulder so he could support her with her injured foot.

"What?" Anna gasped at the last part. "Spock marooned you here?"

"Mutiny?" questioned Spock at the same time.

"Yes" James replied to both of them.

"You are not the Captain?" Spock asked, obviously confused.

James paused with a little annoyed breath before replying "No, no, you're the Captain. Pike was taken hostage with Anna"

James was quiet and he started to lead a reluctant Anna out.

"By Nero" Spock breathed pained.

This stopped James in his tracks. He turned to face older Spock. "What do you know about him?"

"He is a particularly troubled Romulan." Spock said. Spock stood and approached the pair. "Please, allow me" Spock raised his hand in the way that Anna recognised as a mind meld. "It will be easier."

James backed off slightly. "Woah, woah. What are you doing?"

"Our minds, one and together" Spock explained but Anna could see that James was still unsure.

"He wants to perform a mind meld. He'll be able to show you what's happened, James. He's right, it would be easier than having to explain it in words" Anna told him, with a encouraging smile.

James nodded in acceptance. Anna disconnected herself from James and painfully hoped over to where a thick branch was so she could use it as a seat. She sat herself down, knowing that she did not want to be attached to James when he received the emotional transference with the memories.

"One hundred twenty-nine years from now, a star will explode and threaten to destroy the galaxy" Spock started out loud before obviously going into the depths of James' mind to tell the rest.

It was only moments later when Anna heard James gasping and Spock say, "Forgive me. Emotional Transference is an effect of the mind-meld."

Anna watched as James stumbled away slightly, closer towards her and the fire, breathing heavily to contain and control the strong emotions that Spock would have just given him.

"So you do feel" Commented James.

"Of course he does James" Anna commented, quietly.

"Going back in time, you changed all our lives." Jim commented, his breathing still heavy.

Spock didn't respond that but instead said, "Jim, we must go."

"Where actually are we?" Anna asked, trying to think of the best way off of this planet.

"The pod I was in said this was Delta Venga." James told her as he approached her to help her up and support her as she walked.

"There should be a Starfleet outpost here somewhere. I was part of the scouting mission to see if a base is liable." Anna commented, a small amount of pain leaking in to her voice. Her foot was throbbing again. She was almost afraid it would start bleeding out again.

Spock nodded. "You are correct, there is a Starfleet outpost not far from here."

Spock passed the pair of them and towards the exit, and only stopped when James called out, "Wait. Where you came from... " James paused "Did we know our father?"

"Yes. You both often spoke of him as being your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see Anna married, with a child and you become Captain of the Enterprise." Spock said to them both, seeing both of their eyes glass over.

"Child? Spock and I have a child?" Anna asked, her voice cracking with happiness.

"Captain?" James gasped out, a warm feeling passing through him.

"Yes, to a ship we must return the pair of you to as soon as possible." Spock finished as he headed out.

James and Anna glanced at each other and shared a sad smile, for their father, with glee in Anna's eyes for her unborn future child.

Before they followed older Spock out into the cold, James passed by where Anna's blanket was. He picked it up and wrapped it tightly round her with a smile, "Don't want you getting cold."

Anna, James and older Spock headed out into the cold, harsh weather of Delta Venga. Anna found herself glad that her former Captain had made the call not the send an away team down, because she knew she would have been on it and in these conditions. It seemed like an endless pit of snow before they finally saw an outpost down in a valley.

When they finally got into the outpost and James pulled the heavy door shut behind them, Anna was shaking while she was being held up by older Spock. Yes, the blanket that she had had been warm but it wasn't enough to keep her completely warm. She had still only been wearing her yellow uniform dress.

The corridor they were in was a smooth concrete floor and the walls were a white tile. Anna felt miserable just looking at the place, she felt sorry for the poor sod that had to work here.

They trudged, well James and older Spock trudged while Anna wobbled with the help of older Spock. They stopped when they heard a voice call out. Anna couldn't make out what they said but it was a male.

"Hello!" James yelled out.

A shadow appeared at the door at the very end of the corridor. It started running down. As it approached they saw it was a small creature. Anna was unsure to the type of creature that it was. It was short. It's skin was green and wrinkled. It eyes were big and beady.

He didn't speak, but turned and lead them down the corridor through flashing lights. One light went off and never came back on. Anna's heart went out to anybody that had to work here, especially long term. It would have been horrible.

The creature lead them in a rather large room, that had various different things stored inside it. The chill from outside was also in this room. Anna wondered whether there was a part of this base that wasn't frozen cold. Anna, Spock and James were lead to a desk. Sat in the chair, asleep was a man. His closed eyes were covered with a thin strip of cloth. Anna thought she recognised him from somewhere. She felt like they had met before somewhere but she couldn't recall where. The creature hit the man on the leg.

"What?" the man grumbled, without even opening his eyes.

When he got not reply, he took of the cloth and looked up. That was when Anna recognised him. Montgomery Scott. She had been his advisor when he attended the Academy. She had just graduated at the beginning of summer and at the end of summer she was advising Montgomery, Scotty, as she called him. It had been his first year at the academy.

Scotty seemed to focus on James and older Spock, not really glancing at Anna who was still being supported by older Spock.

"You do realise how unacceptable this is?" Scotty questioned, directing the question more to James than anybody else for some unknown reason, perhaps because he was stood closer.

"Fascinating" Older Spock said.

"What?" James asked quietly to older Spock.

"Okay, I'm sure you're just doing your job, but could not have come a wee bit sooner? Six months I've been here, living off Starfleet protein nibs and the promise of a good meal! And I know exactly what's going here, okay? Punishment, isn't it? Ongoing. For something that was clearly an accident." Scotty went on.

"You are Montgomery Scott" Older Spock said.

"You know him?" James asked.

"Aye, that's me. You're in the right place. Unless there's another hardworking equally starved Starfleet officer around." Commented Scotty sarcastically.

Anna snorted at his sarcastic comment, drawing Scotty's attention to her.

"Ah, Commander Kirk. Good to see ya lass." Scotty said, with a more cheerful.

"Good to see you to Scotty." Anna replied with a smile, that quickly turned into a grimace as her foot throbbed especially painfully.

"You are, in fact, the Mr Scott who postulated the theory of transwarp beaming." older Spock said, completely disregarding the conversation Scotty and Anna were having.

"That's what I'm talking about. How do you think I wound up here? I had a little debate with my instructor on the issue of relativistic physics and how it pertains in subspace travel. He seemed to think that the range of transporting something like a grapefruit was limited to about 100 miles. I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system, which is easy by the way, I could do it with a life-form. So, I tested in on Admiral Archer's prize beagle." Scotty explained, toasting at the end.

Anna gasped a little. She wondered what had happened to that dog. One day it was sniffing around and the next it was gone and never seen again.

"I know that dog. What happened to it?" James questioned.

"I'll tell you when it reappears. I don't know. I do feel guilty about that." Scotty said placing his metal mug down.

"What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct, that it is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is travelling at warp speed?" Older Spock said to him.

Anna looked at Spock questionably. She knew he must have a reason for bringing it up in case he wouldn't have. She knew her Spock well enough to know that this Spock will try and avoid altering the timeline any more than he already had and that includes letting people find stuff out for themselves.

"I think if that equation had been discovered, I'd have heard about it" Scotty replied, his face confused and a little bit sad at the prospect of somebody else discovering it and not him.

"The reason you haven't heard of it, Mr Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet." Spock said.

Anna was going to roll her eyes at how blunt he was being but then realised older Spock was still Spock.

She watched as Scotty obviously tripped over the idea, stood up, tripping on syllables instead of being able to make a full word before he finally managed to ask, "Are you from the future?"

"Yeah, he is. Anna and I are not." James told him.

"Well, that's brilliant. Do they still have sandwiches there?" asked Scotty.

Anna smiled at his humour, and the fact he is forever thinking of his stomach. Anna had made it a habit when she was his advisor to bring some homemade sweets for him to munch on during their meeting so he would stay focused on the task at hand.

"Do you have a transporter pad?" Older Spock asked him.

Scotty nodded and lead them towards a single shuttle. Anna had been passed back over to James as they walked. The shuttle looked old and rusty. Anna was extremely glad that she wasn't about to fly in it. In fact she wondered whether it would even be able to fly.

"Well, she's a wee bit dodgy. Shield emitters are totally banjaxed, as well as a few other things. On youse go. So the Enterprise had had it maiden voyage has it?" Scotty was saying as they approached and entered the shuttle. "She is one well-endowed lady. I'd like to get my hands on her ample nacelles, if you'll pardon the engineering parlance."

"You're still exactly the same Scotty" Anna commented once they were all on the shuttle. "I don't think we could go through one meeting without you making a engineering reference."

Scotty laughed and winked at her. "Of course, lass, what do expect from an engineer."

Scotty approached Spock and said, "Except, the thing is, even if I believed you, right, where you're from, what I've done, which I don't, by the way, you're still talking about beaming aboard the Enterprise while she's travelling faster than light without a proper receiving pad." Scotty was walking as he spoke towards where James and Anna were stood. When he walked past the creature that had now been introduced as Keenser he said, "Get off there! It's not a climbing frame." before carry on speaking to Spock, heading back in Spock's direction. "The notion of transwarp beaming is like trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse"

Anna let go of James for a moment so he could help Keenser down from the spot he'd gotten himself into.

"What's that?" Scotty asked older Spock as he looked over his shoulder.

"Your equation for achieving transwarp beaming." older Spock said, moving out of the way so Scotty could sit down and look.

Older Spock moved to the same side of the shuttle as James and Anna were stood. He was entering things into a small computer.

"You're coming with us, right?" James asked, though Anna was thinking exactly the same thing.

"No, Jim. That is not my destiny." replied Older Spock.

"Your des... He... The other Spock is not going to believe me. Only you can explain what the hell's happened" James said.

While Anna hoped that her Spock would have believed her, she couldn't be sure. Listening to James, Spock doesn't sound like himself.

"Under no circumstanced can he be made aware of my existence. You must promise me this." older Spock said, to the both of them.

Anna nodded but James argued, "You're telling me I can't tell you that I'm following your own orders? Why not? What happens"

"Jim, this is one rule you cannot break. To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship" Older Spock said.

Anna wondered why older Spock wasn't telling the full truth. She could tell by his little tweets and twitches that he wasn't telling the full truth. It startled her how similar this Spock was to her own, yet so different. She was about to ask when she decided the more logical route would be to stay quiet.

"How? Over your dead body?" James asked, and even the idea horrified Anna.

"James! Don't even think about it" she exclaimed, giving James and slap on the shoulder.

"Preferably not" Older Spock agreed with Anna. "However, there is Starfleet Regulation 619. Six-one-nine states that any command officer who's emotionally compromised by the mission at hand must resign said command."

"So you're saying that I have to emotionally compromise you guys?" Asked James, finding it hard to believe that that is even possible.

"Jim, I just lost my planet and unaware of the location or state of health of my T'hy'la. I can tell you. I am emotionally compromised. What you must do it get me to show it?" replied Spock, a sad tone taking over his voice.

Anna didn't know what to say. To Spock, emotional control is everything. Being made aware of that fact he had lost control would hurt him, and Anna didn't know if she could watch that.

"James, if Spock says that is what you have to do, then that is what you have to do, but I can't be there when you do knowing that I am allowing you to essentially hurt him, even if it is for the good of the mission." Anna said to him.

"We'll get you to med-bay first. Then I'll go and deal with Spock." James told her reassuringly.

"Aye, then, laddie and lass. Live or die. Let's get this over with." Commented Scotty as he stood in one of the transporters.

James helped Anna step up onto the other one before stepping up himself. James held her tight but he couldn't help but make on quip at older Spock. "You know, coming back in time, changing history, that's cheating"

Anna smiled and she noticed Spock smiled as well.

"A trick I learned from an old friend." Spock said with a smile before turning to a machine and pressing a button. He turned back to the others, holding up the Vulcan greeting and said "Live long and prosper"

The white lights of the transporters started spinning around James and Anna as well as Scotty. Anna placed her head on James' shoulder. As much as she trusted Spock and Scotty, she wasn't too keen on the being the first from this time to try this new form of transport.

The bright light blinded her and then the shuttle was gone from sight.


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE **20th January 2258

The light disappeared and Anna was happy to see the inside of engineering of the USS Enterprise. She looked over to James and they both shared an happy glance. They then both turned to where Scotty had been only to find he wasn't there.

"Mr Scott." yelled James.

"Scotty" Yelled Anna almost straight after.

Both were looking around engineering looking for any sign of him, when they both heard banging. They both quickly turned and looked, their faces filled with dread. James loosened his grip on Anna so he could put his head against the large pipe behind them.

"Mr Scott can you hear me?" He shouted.

They both heard the pipe gurggle and it was Anna that first spotted Scotty in the glass pipe next to it.

"James!" Anna called to him.

James looked to the pipe to see Scotty holding his breath, banging on the glass.

"Hold on a second!" James called to him, but Scotty was sucked off into the piping.

James looked to Anna who quickly said "Don't worry about me James. Go and help him. I can support myself for a while."

She watched as he ran off, following the pipes and out of sight. She could hear him yelling. It went silent for moment before an robotic woman's voice announced out loud "_Turbine release valve activated_"

She heard the sound of water splashing out of a tube and a thud. She breathed a sigh of relief. Hoping that that was Scotty being released out of the tube of water.

"You alright? You alright?" She could hear James ask.

"My head's buzzing and I'm soaked, but otherwise I'm fine." She could hear Scotty reply.

"James, that would have come up on the bridge. They'll probably know we're here now." Anna called over to them.

James and Scotty ran over to her, grabbing an arm each and lifting them over their shoulders to help her move faster. The three of them moved as fast as they could through the narrow passageways of engineering. Anna was almost tempted to tell James and Scotty to go on and she'd wait in engineering, but by the look on James' face she could tell he wouldn't accept that.

They didn't even get out of engineering when they were surrounded by security personnel. One was pointing his phaser at James and yelled. "Come with me, cupcake."

Anna recognised the man as the one that James had gotten into a fight with in the riverside bar three years ago. She guessed the man was still sore about it.

"Cadet... unless you are in need of glasses I believe you can see I am injured. I need to get to medical to get treated. My brother and Scotty were helping me there." Anna spoke up. "And they will continue to help me there before you take them anywhere. I may have not been on this ship for a bit but I am still your superior officer. You are not going against any order by making a detour first."

The man recognising Anna as a superior officer nodded grumpily and began to march the three to med bay. Anna was disappointed and worried to see that Leo wasn't in med bay but she was also happy to see that she could finally get her foot healed. James and Scotty got her seated on a bed and James helped her take of the boot on her injured foot that they had put on before going out into the snow. After that the pair of them were led off by security.

"Commander Kirk!" one of the nurses exclaimed looking at Anna's foot.

Anna glanced down at it. It was red and swollen. The piece of fabric that had been tied around her foot by older Spock was covered in blood. It was quite a sight. She turned to the nurse and instructed, "Heal as best as you can quickly, wrap it up and numb it. I'm needed right now. We don't have the time to heal it properly. It can wait until everything is over and done."

"But Commander..." started the nurse when Anna interrupted again, "No. I know it needs treating. Do enough to last. I am needed. Don't make me make that an order."

The nurse nodded her consent before approaching her foot and unwrapping it carefully. Anna's face scrunched up in pain as the nurse did it. The foot had stopped throbbing from the cold but now that heat was coming back to it, it was starting to become more painful.

The nurse then gave her a hypo to stop the pain, and then another so the swelling goes down, and then another so to clean it from infection. Anna couldn't help but think, _'So, it's not just Leo that likes to over hypo people.'_

The nurse fetched the regenerator and ran it over the wound. The nurse was able to run it over the wound three times before a transmission came over the internal comms.

"_Attention, crew of the Enterprise. This is James Kirk. Mr Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in 10 minutes. Either we're going down or they are. Kirk out." _It was James.

Anna knew what that meant. James had done it. He had made Spock realise that he was emotional compromised.

"Okay, times up. Wrap it up. I've got to move." Anna instructed the nurse.

The nurse nodded, turning to grab the bandages. As she wrapped the foot up she spoke, "You need to be careful with it. I've had Nurse Keller grab you a pair of crutches. I suggest you use it. The regenerator was able to fix the hole together but there is still a deep hole either side of your foot. It shouldn't bleed unless you try to do too much physical activity, but use the crutches properly and it should be fine."

Anna nodded. "Thank you"

Once the bandage was secure. The nurse handed Anna the crutches and Anna immediately began wobbling out of the med-bay. She found the first computer port outside of the medbay.

"Computer where is Commander Spock?" Anna asked.

"_Commander Spock can be located in the transporter room_." the computerised voice replied.

Anna hobbled into the closest lift and set the destination to the transporter room. When she was on the right deck she hobbled her way to the transporter room. When she heard voices she waited outside. It was Spock and Sarek. She knew Spock needed his father now that Amanda was gone.

"... for the one who took Mother's life and for the one that took my T'hy'la from me. An anger I cannot control" She heard Spock say. She couldn't help but let her heart out to him. He had lost so much in the last few days.

"I believe that both of them would say 'Do not try to'. You asked me once why I married your mother. I married her because I loved her" She heard Sarek say.

It was silent and she stepped back when the door opened to reveal Sarek. Sarek looked down on her with wide eyes, obviously unbelieving that she was there. She gave him a smile before slipping past him into the room. She knew that when the door closed Sarek was gone. She knew he was wise enough to leave the pair alone. Spock was stood on the first step of the transporter pad, looking towards one spot in particular. Anna presumed that that was where his mother should have appeared but never did.

"Father, what is it that you suggest I do?" Spock questioned, obviously still thinking that it was his father that was stood behind him.

"I cannot speak for your father but I would suggest you help James save Earth" Anna spoke softly and rather quietly, but she knew he had heard her when his body went straighter than it was before. His head shot round to face her. His eyes wide, emotional. Surprised, disbelieve, relief and joy.

Spock quickly stepped down and over to her, instantly wrapping his arms around her and burying his face into her neck. Anna dropped one of her crutches so she could wrap an arm around him in return. She used the other support her injured foot.

"Anna. You're here." Spock breathed. "But, how?"

"Nero stranded me on Delta Venga, where you had James marooned. Something we will discuss later in _great detail_. He found me on Delta Venga and brought me back with him." Anna explained to him, leaving out the information about the older Spock and his involvement.

She pulled her head back and looked Spock in the eyes.

"I was sure I had lost you." Spock spoke so quietly that Anna had to strain to hear him.

"You will never truly loose me Spock." Anna replied with a smile. "I thought about every you every moment while on Nero's ship. It was my memories of you that got me by."

"Anna. I have to apologise to you. For failing you. You once told me that what hurt your brother, hurt you and I - " Spock started to apologise when Anna placed a hand over his mouth to quieten him.

She smiled at him and said, "Don't worry about that now. Right now, we need to help James stop Nero."

Spock's lips twitched slightly and he nodded. He leant down and gave her the crutch that she dropped and followed her as she hobbled out and into the turbo lift. Once on the right deck for the bridge they headed for the doors. They could already hear the conversation going on inside.

"Based on the Narada's course from Vulcan. I have projected that Nero will travel past Saturn. Like you said, we need to stay invisible to Nero or he'll destroy us. If Mr Scott can get us to warp factor 4 and if we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn's moon, say... Titan, the magnetic distortion from the planet's rings will make us invisible to Nero's sensors. From there, as long as the drill in not actuated, we can beam aboard the enemy ship" They heard Chekov say.

"Aye, that might work." Anna smiled as Scotty agreed.

"Wait a minute, kid. How old are you?" Anna was relieved to hear the southern drawl of Leo on the bridge. At least now she knew why he wasn't in med bay.

"Seventeen, sir" replied Chekov, in a happy tone, as Spock and Anna entered.

Nobody seemed to notice that they had entered the room, at least nobody in that group.

"Oh, good, he's 17." Leo said to James with a frown on his face.

This was the moment that Spock decided to announce himself. "Doctor."

Everybody turned to face him, all with various emotions on their face at the sight of him and then the sight of Anna stood next to him.

"Mr Chekov is correct. I can confirm his telemetry. If Mr Sulu is able to manoeuvre us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal back the black hole device and if possible, bring back Captain Pike." Spock said as he and Anna approached and joined the group.

Anna noticed Leo was looking her up and down, obviously checking for injuries, when his eyes landed on her half healed foot his eyes darted up to meet hers. Anna knew immediately that there was a good chance that he would drag her down to Medical to get it fixed fully in the next available moment.

"I won't allow you to do that, Mr Spock." disagreed James.

Spoke took the disagreement in stride and replied with a good point. "Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ship's computer to locate the device." Spock paused for a moment. "Also, my mother and my wife are human, which makes Earth the only home I have left."

James stepped forward up to Spock, but he looked to Anna.

"Anna, your tactical officer, what's your opinion?" James asked her, probably already aware of what she was going to say.

"I agree that the similarities between Vulcans and Romulans is an advantage and should be exploited, however a solo mission will only resort in failure. There are too many valuables for it to be a successful solo mission, however a pair of people should be able to complete the mission successfully." Anna reported as one would to a Captain, instead of what she would to her brother. It felt strange reporting to her younger brother but she knew right now, she wouldn't change it for the world and she was so proud of him.

James turned to face Spock, "Then I'm coming with you."

"I would cite Regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it" commented Spock, which made Anna smile.

James' lips twitched up as he said towards both Spock and Anna, "See? We are getting to know each other."

James slapped Spock on the arm in a similar fashion lads slap their friends in the arm before walking off. Spock stood in shock for a moment before glancing down at Anna with a raised eyebrow.

Anna just smiled and simply said, "A human thing."

"Indeed" Spock commented.

"You should go and get ready. I'll meet you on the transporter deck. I think Leo is about ready to pounce and drag me back to the medical bay." Anna spoke softly to Spock.

Spock's lips twitched in a smile.

"Dam right, I am. Not get your ass in motion." Leo shouted to her, obviously having overheard her comment to Spock.

Anna glance quickly to Leo before turning back to Spock and pressing a sweet and short kiss on his lips. "I'll see you before you go."

Spock nodded his head. "Indeed."

Leo placed a hand on Anna's back and said, "What did I say about getting that ass moving?"

Anna laughed slightly before moving towards the turbo lift, Leo following. Leo escorted Anna all the way to the medical bay before having her sit on exactly the same bed that she was on before. She placed the crutches down beside the bed before lying back in an upright position.

Leo quickly took hold of her leg and began unwrapping the bandages, mumbling, "Who is grace's god let you leave medical with a half healed foot? Idiotic kids."

Anna smiled at him. "Don't be too harsh on the nurse. She only did it because I told her to."

"Don't be too harsh? A nurse shouldn't have let you leave half healed whether you told her to or not. You could have caused more damage to your foot." Leo barked at her in his usual bedside manner.

Anna just smiled at him, to happy to back to reply to Leo's 'barking'.

There was a silent moment before Leo broke it, "You know I was worried 'bout ya, and James. Never seen him so dam frustrated when Spock said he wasn't going to pursue Nero's ship."

"I'm sorry for worrying you" Anna said to him.

There was another silence, again broken by Leo, "So, you and the Hobgoblin?"

"Leo! Don't call him that." Anna said aghast.

"Fine! so, you and Spock?" repeated Leo, just changing the name, his tone laced with frustration.

"Yes" Anna replied.

"How long?" Leo asked.

"We started 'dating' during our second year at the Academy. Got married the summer after our graduation." Anna told him, with a smile on her face. Even after these six years, she still smiled at even the mention of her and Spock together.

They fell back into silence as Leo finished the healing of her foot.

"There you go. You're healed. But no runnin' around for a few days." Leo warned her.

"Okay. Thank you Leo." Anna told him, taking hold of Leo's hand and squeezing and letting go. She had never really appreciated before how much Leo really did care for her and James. It was sometimes hard to see it behind that grumpy exterior.

Anna hoped down from the bed and disappeared out, calling a quick bye back to Leo.

By the time she reached the transporter room Spock and James were ready and waiting for the signal from the bridge. She came and stood next to Spock, wrapping her pointer finger and ring finger around his in a discreet Vulcan kiss before letting go and wrapping her little finger around his.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Anna questioned Spock.

"Yes. You are needed here." Spock replied.

"Anna, I'm putting you in charge, you have the conn. Whatever happens, if you think you have tactical advantage, you fire on that ship, even if we're still onboard. That's an order." James ordered.

Anna nodded. "Yes sir. I'll head up to the bridge in a moment sir."

"Otherwise we'll contact the Enterprise when we're ready to be beamed back." James said.

Anna nodded. "Good luck James, and be safe"

James and nodded and went to take his place on the transporter deck, giving Spock and Anna some privacy.

Anna took Spock's face in her hands and pulled him down to kiss her. When Anna finally pulled away from the kiss, Spock placed his forehead on hers.

"I will be back" Spock says gently.

"You better be." Anna replied with a sad smile.

"Thank you, Anna" Spock replied, placing one last kiss on her lips.

Anna smiled at him quickly before stepping down and heading back up to the bridge.


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE **20th January 2258

Anna entered the bridge and took a seat in the Captain's chair. She'd only ever once taken a seat in the Captains chair and that was on board the USS Truman when the Captain was injured and unable to report to duty.

Both Sulu and Chekov smiled reassuringly at her and she nodded to them in response and thanks. Leo came and stood next to her. She took his hand for comfort.

"I'll be right here for you darlin'. They'll be fine. Both of them." Leo told her.

She nodded and opened an channel to the teleportation room.

"Scotty, just in case the message doesn't come through to the bridge will you have someone report to the bridge when they return?" Anna asked him.

"_Sure thing Anna. I mean, acting Captain_" Scotty replied.

"Still just Anna, Scotty" Anna said before cutting the channel.

Anna and the rest of the bridge crew watched the two monitors on screen. One for James and one for Spock.

"Their heart rate has elevated." commented Sulu.

"Chekov, keep an eye on Spock's levels. Leo, keep an eye on James'. Sulu, keep an eye on that ship. If it moves I want to know where to and if we can follow it. Uhura, keep an eye on communications, if communications drop I want to know, that'll mean they've started that drill." Anna ordered, her tone firm. Most people on the Enterprise were shock with the firmness of her tone. They had only ever heard her to report to someone, only her second tactical officer, who was currently stood in her place as first tactical officer had ever heard her in a Captain role.

"Captain, I've lost communications" reported Uhura to Anna.

It took a moment for Anna to realise that by 'Captain', Uhura was talking to her, but when she did she nodded gravely.

Anna opened a channel to Scotty, "Scotty, are the transporters operational?"

"_No, Anna. They're inoperative_." Scotty replied.

Anna closed the channel. "Then for now Spock and James are on their own."

There were a few tense moments where nothing changed.

"Captain, something has just flown out of the ships hanger. It's seems to have smashed its way out." reported Sulu.

"That'll probably be Spock. Chekov keep an eye on that ship. Leo, keep an eye on both Spock and James' levels. Sulu, keep me updated on Nero's ship. If it starts firing on Spock, then prepare to defend him" Anna ordered.

"Yes Captain" she received from all three of them that she had addressed.

They all watched the ship that Anna guessed Spock was on flew down to the drill and began shooting at it.

"Anna, James' heart monitor is going ballistic, and his breathing is uneven." reported Leo, casting a worried glance at Anna.

Anna just nodded in recognition but she did take her bottom lip in between her teeth, in worry. There wasn't anything she could do.

They saw an explosion from the drill. It began fall.

"Communications back online" Uhura reported.

"_Anna, we have transportation abilities back online."_ reported Scotty through the internal channels.

"Prepare for when James' calls. We need to be ready" Anna replied to Scotty.

"_Aye, lass_" Scotty said before the channel was closed once again.

"Captain, their firing on Spock" reported Sulu.

Anna looked at the screen. Nero had fired missiles at Spock.

"Prepare to fire at their missiles" Anna ordered.

Before Anna could give any order to fire, Chekov reported, "Commander Spoke has gone to warp"

"Sulu, prepare to follow. I have a feeling Nero will follow" Anna ordered.

"Yes Captain" replied Sulu.

Anna watched as Spock disappeared and Nero's missiles flew towards nothing. Anna could see the beginning of warp on Nero's ship.

"Captain, they're - " Sulu started to report when Anna cut him off. "Go after them"

Sulu pushed down the lever and pressed a few buttons, and seconds after Nero had gone to warp, so had the Enterprise.

"Uhura, contact Starfleet, inform them that the enemy ship is leaving Earth space and we are in pursuit." Anna ordered, over to Uhura.

"Yes, Captain" Uhura replied and immediately began pressing buttons and levers at her station.

"Captain, we're approaching Spock and the enemy ship." reported Sulu.

"Prepare to fire. If Nero is firing on Spock, fire on the missiles." Ordered Anna.

Anna didn't need a response from Sulu, she knew he would do as she instructed. As soon as the Enterprise came out of warp it was already firing on the missiles that were heading towards Spock with impressive accuracy, taking out every missile before they even neared the ship Spock was in. The Enterprise flew through Spock's course just seconds after Spock had.

"Sulu, turn us around." ordered Anna.

Sulu did. He turned the Enterprise to face the Narada.

"Prepare weapons to fire." ordered Anna.

It was then that Anna spotted the direction Spock's ship is heading in. She gasped. He was going to fly his ship straight into the Narada. Her eyes widened.

"Sulu, prepare to get this ship out of here. If the ship Spock is on collides with Nero's ship it could very well create a black hole and the last thing we want to do is get sucked up into it." Anna told him, knowing full well that it wasn't just a possibility of a black hole. It was a definite and while she was worried for Spock and James, right at that moment she had over eight hundred lives in her hands.

She was about to open a channel to Scotty to instruct him to beam Spock back onboard when she heard the communication from James. "Enterprise, now"

"Leo, go down. If they have Captain Pike, he'll be in a bad shape. Chekov, give me a visual of the transporter pad." ordered Anna.

The visual came up just as Leo ran out, calling for some nurses on comm. Lights had just turned into people when Anna's eyes landed on the screen. She sighed, all three of them were back and alive. She opened a channel to the transporter room.

"Captain, the black hole device has collided with the enemy ship, it'll make a black hole in middle of his ship. What are your orders?" Anna asked through the channel.

"Remain where you are. I'll be up in a second." James replied.

Anna went to argue but she knew it would be no use. Both James and Spock would have left the room by now.

The doors to the bridge opened and in stepped James and Spock. Anna immediately stood from the Captains seat and stepped up to her own spot. Her second tactical officer smiled at her before going to his own post, relieving his cover.

"Captain, the enemy ship is losing power! Their shields are down, sir" reported Chekov as both Spock and James walked to the space in front of the helm.

"Hail them now" James ordered.

"Aye Captain" Chekov replied.

A very crackly face of Nero appeared on the screen.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Your ship is compromised. Too close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we are willing to provide." said James.

Everybody on the ship was looking towards James shocked, even Spock. Spock turned from the screen, and said "Captain, what are you doing?"

"Showing them compassion may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus." James replied, also turning away from the screen. "It's logic, Spock. I thought you'd like that."

"No, not really. Not this time." Spock replied.

"_I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times."_ Nero began his reply.

Both James and Spock turned their attention back to Nero. Everybody else on the ship was waiting tensely for the conclusion of all of this.

_"I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from you." _Nero continued, his face scrunched up in an angry frown.

"You got it" James said in reply.

Both Spock and James turned away from the screen, James going around the helm on Anna's side of the bridge while Spock went around the helm on the other side. James spoke as he walked around.

"Arm phasers. Fire everything we've got." James ordered to Sulu.

"Yes Sir" Sulu replied.

Anna watched as the Enterprise begun firing on Nero's ship, and Nero's ship was slowly destroyed and pulled into the black hole.

"James, we need to move or else we'll get caught in the gravitational pull." Anna told James quickly. Just as she spoke a warning came up on the screen about a gravitational pull.

"Sulu, let's go home." James ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Sulu said, starting to press buttons. Anna felt the ship turning to the point where she could no longer see the black hole through the bridge window. She watched as Sulu pushed the warp lever.

"Why aren't we at warp?" James asked, loudly.

"We are, sir" Chekov replied.

The ship was bouncing. Anna had to hold onto to the bars on her station while trying to the keep the shields operational to stop the gravitational pull from damaging the ship as the ship tried to pull against it.

"We're stuck in the gravitational pull of the black hole" Anna yelled across to him. "James, the shields are dropping, if they drop much more the ship will be ripped to shreds from the force of the pull against the force of the warp speed."

"Kirk to Engineering. Get us out of here, Scotty." James ordered.

_"You bet your ass, Captain"_ Scotty yelled back through the comms. "_Captain, we're caught in the gravity well. It's got us."_

"Go to maximum warp! Push it!" ordered James desperately.

"_I'm giving her all she's got, Captain_!" Scotty yelled back.

"Shields dropping 30%. 25%." Anna yelled to James, just as everybody spun to the sound of the roof of the bridge beginning to crack.

"All she's got isn't good enough. What else you got?" James yelled back, his tone now becoming filled with desperation.

Anna quickly thought over all the books she's ever read about tactics with space anomalies. Nobody had ever gotten this close to a black hole and live but there were theories and now would be as good as any time to try one. Anna skimmed her mind through the ones she could remember and chose the most liable.

"Scotty, could you eject the core and detonate it, the blast could be enough to push us away." Anna yelled through the comms to Scotty.

"_Aye lass, that could work. I cannae promise anything, though!" _Scotty yelled back.

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" James yelled out as the glass screen on the bridge started to break. If that broke nobody on the bridge would stand a chance.

The force of the pull was making it difficult to remain standing. The bridge waited anxiously as the cracks in the screen got bigger, and suddenly, the ship lurched forward, almost like it was being propelled by something. Anna was knocked back, but managed to tightly hold on to her handlebars enough to remain upright. The ship shook as the screen was covered by a blue and white light until finally it cleared suddenly as the ship flew away.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief along with everyone else on the bridge. Before she let anything distract her, she began working to get the shields back to maximum power. She took some power from auxiliary and as she did she noticed James spin in his chair to look back at Spock, just for Spock to nod back. She smiled. They were actually getting along.

She shared a look with Spock with a smile before looking back towards the screen.

Time to begin the long journey home.


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER - I OWN NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS, PLANETS OR LOCATIONS, EXCEPT FOR MY OC ANNA.**

**STARDATE** 18th February 2258

Anna walked through the Earth shuttle bay with Spock, with a sad frown on her face. The Enterprise had returned home only three days ago and nothing has happened in terms of the backlash from Nero's attack except from the memorials for the five ships that were destroyed above Vulcan. Anna had only attended one. She attended and spoke at the memorial for the USS Truman, talking about the officers that she had known personally, and Spock had stood beside her as her support.

Anna had been worried about Spock. He had been quiet lately, almost as though he was guilty of something. She knew it couldn't have been guilt from the events on the Enterprise between him and James because Spock and Anna had already spoken about that and moved past it.

As they walked towards a shuttle that was preparing to head out, the pair of them spotted somebody walking towards the shuttle, obviously a Vulcan. He was wearing all grey, the bottom of his jacket was tilted. One side was up to his mid thigh, the other side was to the knee.

"Father!" Spock called.

Anna glanced up to Spock. She had thought she had just seen Sarek around the corner they had just passed.

As soon as the man turned around, Anna's eyes widened. Spock had stopped still but Anna carried on forward with a smile on her face.

"I am not our father" Older Spock said to Spock.

Older Spock then turned to where Anna had walked to. He offered out his hand, and she smiled while taking it in hers. Anna smiled back at Spock as he walked to her side.

"There are so few Vulcans left. We cannot afford to ignore each other" Older Spock said.

"Then why did you send Kirk aboard when you alone could have explained the truth?" Spock asked, his eyebrows frowning.

Older Spock squeezed Anna's hand and let it go. Anna stood back to her Spock and slipped her arm through Spock's.

"Because you needed each other. I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together, of a friendship that will define you both in ways you cannot yet realise." Older Spock said.

Spock glanced down at Anna and then back up at Older Spock.

"How did you persuade him to keep your secret?" Spock asked him, obviously speaking about Jim.

Anna smiled.

"He inferred that universe-ending paradoxes would ensue should he break his promise" Older Spock commented, with a smile.

"You lied" Spock assumed.

Anna smiled even more and commented, "I believe he actually... 'implied'."

"A gamble" Spock commented to Spock.

"An act of faith" contradicted Older Spock. "One I hope you'll repeat in the future in Starfleet."

"In the face of extinction, it is only logical I resign my Starfleet commission and help rebuild our race." Commented Spock, without emotion.

The smile on Anna's immediately dropped. If Spock resigned from Starfleet, what would she do? Should she go with him or remain in Starfleet. Communications between a human on Earth and anybody on a Vulcan planet was extremely difficult, so no matter if she stays at Startfleet or goes with Spock, she'd have to navigate the communication channels to avoid losing contact with somebody, Spock if she stayed and James if she goes.

"And yet, you can be in two places at once. I urge you to remain in Starfleet with Anna. I have already located a suitable planet on which to establish a Vulcan colony. Spock, in this case, do yourself a flavour. Put aside logic. Do what feels right." Older Spock said to him, before he began to turn away. Older Spock placed a hand on Anna's shoulder, squeezed and then walked off.

Young Spock glanced down at Anna, who was looking up at him, his eyes glassy. It was then realised that by leaving he would either have to leave Anna or expect Anna to leave her brother.

The older Spock turned around and looked back the two of them. "Since my customary farewell would appear oddly self-serving, I shall simply say..." Older Spock lifted his hand in the Vulcan greeting "Good luck"

The young Spock and Anna gave the same greeting as Older Spock turned and left.

"Will you be leaving Starfleet?" Anna asked Spock refusing to look up at him.

Spock reached down and placed a hand under Anna's chin and raised her head to face his. Her eyes connected with his. "No. I believe my counterpart was right. I should do what I feel is right and what I feel is right would be to remain with my T'hy'la, the woman I love."

Anna smiled and took his hand. "Come. We've got an assembly to go to."

Spock and Anna filed in with the others. Both claimed a seat on the front row with the other Commanders. Some of the Cadets that had been on the Enterprise including Sulu, Chekov, Leo and Uhura stood behind them in their Cadet reds. James was stood at the front of the assembly room and in front of him stood the same board of Admirals that a few days ago were accusing him of cheating.

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Your inspirational valour and supreme dedication to your comrades is in keeping with the highest traditions of service, and reflect utmost credit to yourself, your crew and the federation. It is my honour to award you with this commendation." The head Admiral of the board said.

A Commander approached with a velvet box. He opened it, revealing a Starfleet commendation badge of honour. The admiral took it out and pinned it on the front of James' cadet uniform.

"By Starfleet Order 28455, you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike, USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief." the Admiral said.

Anna smiled as James shook hands with the Admiral and headed over to where Admiral Pike was rolled in in his wheelchair.

Once he was stood in front of Admiral Pike, James said, "I relieve you, sir"

"I am relieved." replied Admiral Pike as a customary reply.

"Thank you, Sir." James said with a smile.

"Congratulations, Captain. Your father would be proud" Admiral Pike said reaching out and shaking James' hand.

Everybody in the hall including Anna and Spock began clapping. Some began whistling and cheering. All Anna could think was how much James deserved it and how proud she was of her little brother.

It was only later that day that the Enterprise was ready to go. Engineering teams from all over Starfleet had been working around the clock to get it fixed and have new warp drives installed. Anna stood proudly at her spot as first tactical officer.

"Basic shields at maximum and additional shields ready" Anna reported, glancing in the direction of the door.

"Manoeuvring thrusters and impulse engines at your command, sir." said Sulu looking towards the doors.

"Weapon systems on standby" Said Chevok, his gaze turning over to the door.

"Dock Control reports ready" reported Uhura, turning in her chair to face the door just as it opened to reveal James. "Captain"

James stopped, looking from left to right on his bridge before spotting Leo who was stood in front of the second tactical officer and behind Chekov. James almost jumped down the steps to Leo.

"Bones! Buckle up" James said, hitting Leo on the shoulder before taking his seat in the captains chair.

"Scotty, how we doing?" James asked into the internal channels.

"_Dilithium chambers at maximum, Captain."_ Scotty reported through the same channel.

"Mr Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters." James ordered.

"And don't forget the initial dampener" Anna cheekily added on causing Sulu to laugh and fake glare at her.

The doors on Anna's side of the bridge opened and everybody turned to see Spock stood there.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain" Spock requested.

"Permission granted." replied James.

Spock began walking up to James while talking, "As you have yet to select a first officer, respectfully I would like to submit my candidacy. Should you desire, I can provide character references."

James had stood to meet him and replied, "It would be my honour, Commander."

Spock nodded to him before stepping back and besides Anna. He gently took her face in his hands and pressed a sweet and short kiss on her lips before turning and walking to his station and taking a seat. Anna couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

James sat back in his chair, a happy smile on his face and turned to Sulu "Manoeuvring thrusters, Mr Sulu."

"Thrusters on standby." Sulu reported.

"Take us out." ordered James.

"Aye aye Captain"

_**STARDATE**__ 20th September 2249_

_Spock sat in his Xenolinguistics class. Commander Farlow was instructing on the grammar of Orion writing. It was his first year at the Academy. His father hadn't approved of him being here, but his mother was proud that he decided to study on her home planet. He was doing remarkably well in all of his classes, especially his Xenolinguistic class. He was already skilled in languages and only after a few weeks in he discovered he was far beyond his Starfleet peers, not that that meant he paid any less attention to what Commander Farlow was teaching. _

_His eyes, however, couldn't help but wonder to the student aid of the class. An Annabeth Kirk. A third year he had heard was set to graduate that year. From what he had seen she had a gentle personality to match her gentle face. She was hardly what a Vulcan should desire, she was in fact the opposite. She was thin and curved and not muscled into a butch woman that Vulcan females were. She had thin, dainty features in comparison to Vulcan females, but not as dainty in comparison to few other human females. Her eyes were a sparkling blue and her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She wasn't a Vulcan description of a desirable mate but to Spock and every other male in the room she outshined the sun in warmth and beauty._

_He knew she was the daughter of Captain George Kirk, the new Captain of the USS Kelvin, and he knew she had grown up alongside her brother, James T Kirk, onboard the Kelvin. He had heard James, who was a fellow first year, even at his young age of 16, speak about it and her to his roommate while they were in the mess hall. He found it fascinating that both Anna and James had begun their Starfleet careers at the young age of 16, having completed their high schools early. Another fact he had picked up from listening to James._

_Spock had been meaning to speak with her. He wished to get to know her better. He wished to see her obviously talented mind. But every time he approached fate seemed to be against him, either she had to leave, or he had a lecture, or the lecturer need to shut and lock the room for the night, making everybody leave. He had tried at the end of each lecture since the first time he had seen her but to no luck. It was illogical but for once Spock didn't care. She fascinated him._

_At the end of the lecture, Spock stood, collected his things and walked down to where Annabeth Kirk was now stood, packing away her own things._

_"Miss Kirk" Spock called._

_Annabeth turned to face him with a smile that seemed to always bring up a feeling of warmth inside of Spock. "Yes?"_

_"I seem to be behind my peers in the matter of Xenolinguistics. Would you have time in your schedule to aid me in my studies?" Spock asked a spike of nervousness coming up before he quickly pushed it back down._

_Annabeth glanced over to Commander Farlow, probably about to say to ask him, when she suddenly looked back at Spock, seeming to change her mind, and replied "Sure. I have some free time now if you'd like."_

_Spock nodded, his lips twitched up slightly. Finally, a result. One part of his Vulcan training had obviously paid off, Patience was a virtue. _

_"Miss Kirk, I express my gratitude" Spock said._

_Annabeth smiled and said, "Call me Anna. Just Anna"_

_._

_._

**THE END... FOR NOW**

**.**

**.**

**MY PLANS FOR THIS STORYLINE IN THE FUTURE**

**LOOK OUT FOR:**

**The Prequels - **

"Jim's Anna" _Anna and James grow up in Iowa with their uncle Frank and their always away mother, Winona Kirk. Follow the adventures that James and Anna get up to. Includes their horrific time at Tarsus IV._

"Meeting Anna" _The story that tells of Spock and Anna's Academy days. See their relationship grow from the beginning._

**The Sequels - **

"Another Anna" _The story continues straight after the events around Nero as the Enterprise explores strange new worlds._

"Saving Anna" _The crew of the Enterprise is in shambles. Pike is dead. Scotty resigned. Spock and James at ends again. The story of how the Enterprise deals with 300 year old Kahn. _

**The Extras - **

"Amanda's visit" _The title kind of says it all. A 3 chapter story detailing the 3 days Amanda Grayson was at the Academy for Spock's birthday._

**LET ME KNOW WHICH STORY YOU WANT NEXT, A PREQUEL, A SEQUEL OR THE EXTRA. I CAN WRITE THEM IN ANY ORDER SO TELL ME WHICH ONE YOU GUYS WILL WANT FIRST AND I SEE TO IT THAT THAT IS THE ONE I WRITE! **

**THE POLL IS ON MY PAGE SO GET VOTING!**

**THANKS FOR READING AND FOR THE REVIEWS!**

**MAMMPS :)**


	12. SEQUEL!

I know the poll wasn't open for very long but the results when I began writing the next story said you guys wanted "Saving Anna" next and so that is what I have done. While I am writing this story I am going to open a poll as to which story you would like after this one, so the poll is staying up.

The first chapter of Saving Anna is uploaded. Enjoy.

**Saving Anna**

In Anna's lifetime she had never been as happy as what she was. She was married to her T'hy'la. Her brother was a Captain after saving Earth. She was in her dream position on board the Starfleet flagship, surrounded by her friends and family. To her, it couldn't get any better. But unfortunately it could get worse. A lot worse.


End file.
